![]() 2002.When the body's natural electrical pacing mechanism is erratic or not communicating adequately, pacemakers are utilized to generate a regular pulse. Living With Radiation: the First Hundred Years. Radiation Exposure of the US Population from Consumer Products and Miscellaneous Sources. ![]() National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements.and Coratomic Inc.ĭonated by the Los Alamos National Laboratory Source Recovery Program. companies manufactured these devices: the Cordis Corporation, Medtronic Inc. The whole-body exposure is estimated to be approximately 0.1 rem per year to the patient and approximately 7.5 mrem per year to the patient's spouse. The hard titanium case is designed to withstand any credible event including gunshots and cremation.ĭose rates at the surface of the pacemaker are approximately 5 to 15 mrem per hour from the emitted gamma rays and neutrons. The pacemaker shown in these photos, produced by Medtronic, has had its plutonium removed.Īs can be seen in the above photo, the unit's electronics are embedded in epoxy. When one of these individuals dies, the pacemaker is supposed to be removed and shipped to Los Alamos where the plutonium will be recovered. At present (2003), there are between 50 and 100 people in the U.S. As the term "thermoelectric" implies, the heat from the decaying plutonium is used to generate the electricity that stimulates the heart. Over the years, various power sources have been used for pacemakers, including thermoelectric batteries containing 2 to 4 curies of plutonium-238 (88 year half-life). Pacemakers are used to stimulate a regular heartbeat when the body's natural electrical pacing system is irregular or not transmitting properly.
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