Airbag injury

Does anyone have information on airbag deployment in an automobile accident and the potential for bodily injury caused by either malfunction of the pacemaker/defibrillator or to the body because their casing?

My wife Shirley recently had these devices implanted this year and ask me.

Davidhelton1@bellsouth.net

3 Comments

don't really know!

by bambi - 2007-08-14 05:08:11

Hi David,
Just wanted to welcome you and your wife to the site. Please don't think we are not responding to your question because we don't care! My experience on this site, is that many times we just don't know the answer to the question, so we don't reply. Your question is a good one. Usually Smitty has the answers to the tough ones - he's the smart one! But EVERYONE is caring and helpful whether or not they have the answers ! So please feel welcome and keep posting if you have other questions or concerns!
Bambi

Airbags & PM

by SMITTY - 2007-08-14 05:08:15

Hi David,

I have no test data to offer, but I’ll venture a guess based on my experience with a PM for 7 years.

My PM is located below my collar bone on the left side. It is implanted deep enough that it is almost invisible to see or the touch. (I mention this because different doctors implant them differently.) My only concern about getting a lick on my PM is that I do not want one directly on the PM, not because of damage or the possibility of a malfunction from such blow, but simply because it would hurt.

As for an air bag inflating because of impact, I cannot visualize it having an adverse effect on the PM. I’ve seen two people that were in accidents where the airbag did inflate (neither had a PM) and they both had abrasions and very light bruising but neither had cuts or deep bruises. The seat belt could be a problem and is one I have thought about in my case. The seat belts in my vehicles go right across my PM and while I don’t expect damage to the PM in the event I’m in an accident, it cause considerable trauma to the PM implant site and could possibly damage a lead. As a result, while I don’t do this very time I drive, I more often than not fold and place a heavy towel between my PM site and the seat belt. I also have one of the seat belt protectors but I’m more comfortable with the towel, except when it is extremely hot, as it is now.

In summation, I do not worry about the airbag doing any damage to my PM. The seat belt, while I do not a worry, I do try to use a little caution, not because impact would damage the internals of the PM – it is in very tough titanium housing – but because damage to the leads is a possibility and I know it could hurt.

Good luck to your wife.

Smitty

EMT's said this...

by chiliman - 2007-08-15 04:08:56

Shortly before I had my pacemaker implanted, I was involved in a rear end collision in which the car I was driving was hit directly from behind at about 45mph.

I was very shaken up, but very lucky. I had started taking Coumadin for atrial fibrillation and was told by the EMT that had my airbag deployed, I might very well have bled to death and that they had seen this happen before.

I am still in afib with my current pacemaker and still on Coumadin, and the thought of a car accident is often present in my thoughts while driving.

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