Patients with Pacemakers The electrosurgery current (radio frequency) can interfere with pacemakers and it's use is therefore a potential risk to the patient. This is especially true with the older pacemakers where the electrosurgery current caused the risk of firing the pacemaker to increase the pacing with the possibility of causing ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation. Newer pacemakers, although still subject to electrosurgery influence, are designed to inhibit firing so that the patient will return to his heart beat rate for the few seconds the machine is activated.

To reduce the effect of the electrosurgery current on the pacemaker, the current should never be allowed to pass directly through the heart in returning to the patient plate. This means that bipolar techniques should be used wherever possible and if monopolar techniques are used, the plate must not be placed near the heart.