Lack of access to pacemakers is a major challenge to the provision of cardiovascular health care in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC). Post-mortem pacemaker utilization could be safe, efficacious, and ethically responsible means of delivering the needed care. Reconditioned pacemakers can provide therapy for patients with symptomatic bradycardia and no means of receiving a new device. The objective of the clinical trial is to determine if pacemaker reutilization can be shown to be a safe means of delivering pacemakers to patients in LMIC without resources. Consented patients in this multi-center trial will be randomized to undergo implantation of either a reconditioned device or a new device.
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion Criteria:
* Life expectancy ≥ 2 years.
* Indications for device implantation must be fulfilled per standard of care. Consistent with 2008 American College of Cardiology / American Heart Association guidelines for device therapy, one of the following class I indications must be met.
* Sinus Node Dysfunction
* Acquired Atrioventricular (AV) Block
* Chronic Bifascicular Block
* Hypersensitive Carotid Syndrome
* Lack of financial ability to pay for a new device must be assessed and documented.
* All other methods of new device acquisition must be exhausted.
* Patient must be agreeable and able to follow-up with the implanting center within 2 weeks for wound check, at 2 months, 6 months, and every 6 months thereafter for routine pacemaker checks.
Exclusion Criteria:
* Severe valvular disease
* Severe pulmonary disease
* End-stage renal disease (creatinine clearance \< 30 mL/min) whether or not on dialysis
* Evidence of ongoing systemic infection
* Prior pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation
* Significant contraindication to pacemaker implantation per evaluation of the implanting physician (very high risk of complications).
* Presence of any other condition that the local investigator feels would be problematic or would restrict or limit the participation of the patient for the entire study period
* Pregnant women
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Freedom from Procedure-Related Infection at 12 months