Patients who received donated pacemakers survive without complications (USA)

"Patients who received refurbished pacemakers donated from Detroit area funeral homes survived without complications from the devices, according to a case series reported by the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Centre. The pacemakers were implanted in 12 patients at the University of Philippines - Philippine General Hospital who could not afford advanced cardiac care and were confined to their beds as they waited for a permanent pacemaker. All donated pacemakers functioned normally at six months, and most importantly there were no device complications such as infections. The study appears online ahead of print in the 13 October issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology"