Guidant pacemakers.(HEALTH PRODUCTS)

Guidant pacemakers Could fail.

Products: 28,000 pacemakers made 11/25/97 to 10/26/00. Recall involves the following devices and model numbers: Pulsar models 0470, 0870, 0970, 0972, 1172, and 1272; Pulsar Max models 1170, 1171, and 1270; Pulsar Max II models 1180, 1181, and 1280; Discovery models 1174, 1175, 1273, 1274, and 1275; Discovery II models 0481, 0981, 1184, 1186, 1187, 1283, 1284, 1285, and 1286; Meridian models 0476, 0976, 1176, and 1276; Virtus Plus II models 1380 and 1480; Contak TR model 1241; and Intelis II models 1483, 1484, 1485, 1384, 1385, 1349, and 1499. The problems involve an older-design pacemaker that's no longer made; the suspect units haven't been sold for four years. The risk of failure exists because a hermetic sealing material could degrade prematurely and allow moisture to accumulate inside the pacemaker. Of the 78,000 affected pacemakers originally distributed worldwide, approximately 28,000 remain in use (18,000 in the U.S.), according to Guidant. The company says the likelihood of failure is small, but the risk increases the longer the pacemaker remains in use. There could have ...