Zusammenfassung
Earlier studies have shown interferences of cardiac pacemakers (PMs) and implantable
cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) caused by electric and magnetic fields (EMFs). In our study
we tested the immunity of cardiac PMs and ICDs against electric and magnetic fields of
400 kV power lines and of 400 kV substations by using a human-shaped phantom. A watertight,
human-shaped phantom (height 1.92 m) was made out of a commercial plastic
mannequin. In tests, it was filled with 0.9% saline solution. We tested the following devises:
(1) 31 PMs near 400 kV power lines, where the electric field was 6.7-7.5 kV/m and the
magnetic field 2.4-2.9 μT, (2) 10 different ICDs near 400 kV power lines, when the electric
fields varied from 6.8 to 7.5 kV/m and the magnetic field was 2.0 μT, (3) 7 PMs and 5 ICDs
at a 400 kV substation in two locations (over 1000 μTin one location and over 600 μTin the
other one). In the protocol the phantom was used in the following ways: (1) isolated from the
ground, (2) grounded from a foot, (3) grounded from a hand.
Near a power line, one of the tested PMs in the unipolar configuration entered a safety
function with a constant pace of 60 beats per minute. In bipolar configuration, however, the
same PM showed no disturbance. During our tests, other PMs showed minor disturbances or
none at all. Near the power line, a disturbance also occurred in one ICD, and the device
erroneously recorded 258 ventricular beats per minute. When the exposure was 5.1 kV/m, the
same ICD had a similar disturbance; but in a 0.9 kV/m field, it worked correctly. The
magnetic field exposure at the 400 kV substation did not disturb the PMs (whether in unipolar
or bipolar configuration) and ICDs. Based on our experiments, the electric field under a
400 kV power line may disturb a PM and an ICD. The risk of disturbances is not considered
to be high, because only one of the several PMs or ICDs showed a major disturbance.
Links und Ressourcen
Tags
Community