Cell phone interferes with pacemaker

Implant wearers are a high-risk group when it comes to electromagnetic fields, according to a recent report by the HAUFE.de academy. Those affected must inform the employer about the implant so that appropriate safety measures can be taken. This is because even magnetic name tags in the vicinity of the implant, as well as audio/video multimedia devices, can influence a pacemaker, for example. If active implants are placed in close proximity to electrical or transmitting devices such as drills, D-network cell phones, etc., they can be disturbed, according to the Bavarian State Office for Occupational Safety, Health and Safety Technology in its study “Electromagnetic fields in the workplace”. According to the so-called Irnich study (12), interference of pacemakers with unipolar and bipolar electrodes by D-network cell phones is possible up to a distance of approx. 20 centimeters, but apparently only during DTX mode (connection setup, pauses in speech), not during normal conversation.

Wires act like antennas
Implants include hearing aids, insulin pumps, prosthetic hands and pacemakers. If an implant is used to stimulate muscles or nerves, the implanted control device must transmit the signals via wires to the desired location. These wires act like antennas and generate currents through induction, said Dr. Dipl.-lng. Michael S. Lampadius, sworn expert for pacemakers, in his presentation at the symposium “Valleyer Informationstage” (published on gigaherz.ch). These currents can apparently become so large that they cause unwanted muscle or nerve irritation. For example, it is known that people with implanted muscle stimulators have made involuntary movements when passing through electronic anti-theft devices, which can lead to injury to themselves and others. In the case of brain stimulators used to combat shaking palsy, strong fields cause tissue burns in the brain.

Metal in the teeth
Metal structures used to replace dental substances can also interact dangerously with electromagnetic fields outside the body, warns Dr. med. dent. Manfred Kübler from the Center for Holistic Dentistry in Waldshut (Germany). This applies, for example, to cell phone use. Metals in the oral cavity can act as amplifiers and trigger interactions in the body through transmission via the dental nerves. Ceramic, on the other hand, is the material without an electromagnetic reaction. Fillings and implants made of ceramic material are particularly suitable because of their high biocompatibility and resilience.

Music of the future
Implants are no strangers to medicine. But the future of medicine holds even more in store, as Yahoo News reports. For example, implantable chips that replace the contraceptive pill, cyber pills that notify the doctor if the patient is not taking their medication regularly, tattoos that measure the processes in our bodies, or bio-batteries that initially supply implants with energy and then simply melt.

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