Pacemaker Malfunction Leads to Death

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Pacemaker Malfunction Leads to Death

Magnetic toy causes pacemaker malfunction. Grandmother suffers heart attack and dies.

May 20 07:02 PM US/Eastern
By BRIAN BAKST
Associated Press Writer

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ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - A small magnet in a toy may have disabled the computerized regulator in a woman's pacemaker; causing her death.

Kathy M. Williamson watched as her three year old daughter played with a toy on her grandmother's chest; within a minute Williamson’s 81 year old mother, Eleanor Roberts, went into cardiac arrest. Cardiologist Russell Hughes suspects that the close proximity of a magnet in a foot of a "My Little Pony" to the pacemaker in Roberts’ chest caused the computer in the pacemaker to malfunction and produce an impossible heart rate, resulting in heart failure and death. Hughes stated that magnets have been known to disrupt some pacemakers but are only dangerous if they are within four inches of the regulator. “A small magnet would have to be in direct contact with the chest directly over a pacemaker to cause failure.” Hughes stated.

Paramedics arrived within five minutes, but were unable to revive Roberts. Williamson reportedly was so distraught over the ordeal that she burned a collection of over 100 of the small plastic toys.

___

Associated Press writers Joshua Freed in Minneapolis and Gregg Aamot in St. Paul contributed to this report.

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