Boston Scientific vs Medtronic

Ok... I have had medtronics pacemakers & icds since 1978 - now it is being suggested to go with a Boston instead.  Has anyone heard of this one and any experience with it?  

What is in there right now: D224TRK Consulta CRT-D

CARDIAC RESYNCHRONIZATION THERAPY - DEFIBRILLATION (CRT-DEFIB)

**quick snapshot**

Was born with a right branch bundle block - heart rate of 40 and then received my first pacemaker in 1978 - basically, I have lost count now.. have chf - had tachycardia and went in for av node ablation but there was nothing left to ablate.  Have had informational meetings with transplant specialists and turned that idea down because I was born this way and knew it wasn't for me.  AT all.... 

4 Comments

Boston Scientific vs Medtronic Differences in companies?

by missmyrnaloy - 2016-12-16 17:09:40

Does anyone know the difference between the two companies?  I have had medtronic since 1978 basically 38 years or so.

Similar, but different

by BillH - 2016-12-16 19:37:47

They all work similarly, but each as some different quirks.

But I would ask your doctor why they recommend one over the other. They may have a specific reason or it might be as simple as they get much better service from  one than the other.

 

The one think that I know is different, at least in some type of devices, is how rate response is handled.

Medtronics is limited to using an accelerameter (vibration). While BS adds something called minute ventalation.

For some type of activities, cycles is the one that I know of, the Medtronics does not speed up  the HR enough to handle continous riding. With the BS it also measure changes in breathing.

 

Can you explain a bit more?

by missmyrnaloy - 2016-12-17 17:23:24

So if you are moving around up and down the stairs or bike riding the medtronics does not speed up enough?  I need to give them an answer by Monday having the replacement on Wed afternoon... this wasn't with my usual dr... as mine was on vacation... 

As I understand it

by BillH - 2016-12-17 19:14:03

As I understand it the the the accelerometer will quickly react to initial activies such as going up a stair, start running, or start cycling. But it only detects changes. So if the activity is constant at the same level it stops calling for an increase in heart rate.

The minute ventalation is slower to respsond, but under constant activity the breathing willl increase and the thus the MV will keep the heart rate up.

Here is a link to some information from Sorin which makes a PM similar to the Boston Sc. A bit technical, but look at the graphs showing the difference in response rate to the two systems.

http://www.livanova.sorin.com/file/download-509.action

And here are two discussions from the PM Club.

https://www.pacemakerclub.com/message/17837/accelerometer-v-minute-ventilation-rate-response-s

https://www.pacemakerclub.com/message/25457/minute-ventilation-parameter-tuning

 

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