Centrifuge-Simulated Suborbital Spaceflight in Subjects with Cardiac Implanted Devices
INTRODUCTION: Future commercial spaceflight participants (SFPs) with conditions requiring personal medical devices represent a unique challenge. The behavior under stress of cardiac implanted devices (CIDs) such as pacemakers is of special concern. No known data currently exist
on how such devices may react to the stresses of spaceflight. We examined the responses of two volunteer subjects with CIDs to G forces in a centrifuge to evaluate how similar potential commercial SFPs might tolerate the forces of spaceflight.
CASE REPORT: Two subjects, 75- and 79-yr-old men with histories of atrial fibrillation and implanted dual-lead, rate-responsive pacemakers, underwent seven centrifuge runs over 2 d. Day 1 consisted of two +Gz runs (peak = +3.5 Gz, run 2) and two +Gx runs (peak = +6.0 Gx, run 4). Day 2 consisted of three runs approximating suborbital spaceflight profiles (combined +Gx/+Gz). Data collected included blood pressures, electrocardiograms, pulse oximetry, neurovestibular exams, and postrun questionnaires regarding motion sickness, disorientation, greyout, and other symptoms. Despite both subjects’ significant medical histories, neither had abnormal physiological responses. Post-spin analysis demonstrated no lead displacement, damage, or malfunction of either CID.
DISCUSSION: Potential risks to SFPs with CIDs include increased arrhythmogenesis, lead displacement, and device damage. There are no known prior studies of individuals with CIDs exposed to accelerations anticipated during the dynamic phases of suborbital spaceflight. These cases demonstrate that even individuals with significant medical histories and implanted devices can tolerate the acceleration exposures of commercial spaceflight. Further investigation will determine which personal medical devices present significant risks during suborbital flight and beyond.
Blue RS, Reyes DP, Castleberry TL, Vanderploeg JM. Centrifuge-simulated suborbital spaceflight in subjects with cardiac implanted devices. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2015; 86(4):410–413.
CASE REPORT: Two subjects, 75- and 79-yr-old men with histories of atrial fibrillation and implanted dual-lead, rate-responsive pacemakers, underwent seven centrifuge runs over 2 d. Day 1 consisted of two +Gz runs (peak = +3.5 Gz, run 2) and two +Gx runs (peak = +6.0 Gx, run 4). Day 2 consisted of three runs approximating suborbital spaceflight profiles (combined +Gx/+Gz). Data collected included blood pressures, electrocardiograms, pulse oximetry, neurovestibular exams, and postrun questionnaires regarding motion sickness, disorientation, greyout, and other symptoms. Despite both subjects’ significant medical histories, neither had abnormal physiological responses. Post-spin analysis demonstrated no lead displacement, damage, or malfunction of either CID.
DISCUSSION: Potential risks to SFPs with CIDs include increased arrhythmogenesis, lead displacement, and device damage. There are no known prior studies of individuals with CIDs exposed to accelerations anticipated during the dynamic phases of suborbital spaceflight. These cases demonstrate that even individuals with significant medical histories and implanted devices can tolerate the acceleration exposures of commercial spaceflight. Further investigation will determine which personal medical devices present significant risks during suborbital flight and beyond.
Blue RS, Reyes DP, Castleberry TL, Vanderploeg JM. Centrifuge-simulated suborbital spaceflight in subjects with cardiac implanted devices. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2015; 86(4):410–413.
Keywords: atrial fibrillation; centrifuge; commercial spaceflight; implanted medical devices; pacemaker; spaceflight participant
Document Type: Research Article
Publication date: 01 April 2015
- This journal (formerly Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine), representing the members of the Aerospace Medical Association, is published monthly for those interested in aerospace medicine and human performance. It is devoted to serving and supporting all who explore, travel, work, or live in hazardous environments ranging from beneath the sea to the outermost reaches of space. The original scientific articles in this journal provide the latest available information on investigations into such areas as changes in ambient pressure, motion sickness, increased or decreased gravitational forces, thermal stresses, vision, fatigue, circadian rhythms, psychological stress, artificial environments, predictors of success, health maintenance, human factors engineering, clinical care, and others. This journal also publishes notes on scientific news and technical items of interest to the general reader, and provides teaching material and reviews for health care professionals.
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