Pacemaker recycling: A notion whose time has come

Table 1 Project My Heart Your Heart framework for device acquisition and performance measures

1. ID device for potential reuse

2. Obtain signed consent from family

3. Train funeral directors in device explantation

4. Send device to center of excellence for investigation

a. Center does interrogation to assure adequate battery life and other performance-testing specifications

b. Use cutoff of ≥ 70% battery life

5. Devices that pass all quality-control measures undergo process to erase all patient identifiers

6. Sterilize and package

7. Send device to nonprofit charitable organization that specializes in delivering medical equipment for distribution to low- and middle-income countries

8. Device implanted with new unused leads