Recommendations for the Post-Mortem Management of Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices.
Júlio César de OliveiraAlexsandro Alves FagundesRicardo Alkmin TeixeiraJosé Mário Baggio JuniorLuciana ArmaganijanAndré D'AvilaEduardo B SaadVeridiana Silva de AndradeLuis Gustavo Belo de MoraesRicardo KuniyoshiAndré Gustavo da Silva RezendeMauricio PimentelThiago da Rocha RodriguesHelio Lima de Brito JuniorElenir NadalinCristiano Faria PisaniElerson ArfelliFatima Dumas CintraCarlos Antonio Abunader KalilSissy Lara de MeloPriscila Moreno Sperling CannavanPublished in: Arquivos brasileiros de cardiologia (2021)
The management of cardiac implantable electronic devices after death has become a source of controversy. There are no uniform recommendations for such management in Brazil; practices rely exclusively on institutional protocols and regional custom. When the cadaver is sent for cremation, it is recommended to remove the device due to the risk of explosion and damage to crematorium equipment, in addition to other precautions. Especially in the context of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, proper guidance and organization of hospital mortuary facilities and funeral services is essential to minimize the flow of people in contact with bodily fluids from individuals who have died with COVID-19. In this context, the Brazilian Society of Cardiac Arrhythmias has prepared this document with practical guidelines, based on international publications and a recommendation issued by the Brazilian Federal Medical Council.