Cell Phones Do Not Affect Hospital Medical Devices

Calls made on cell phones do not affect hospital medical devices, U.S. researchers said last week, but store anti-theft alarms might make implanted heart devices misfire. Tests at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., showed normal use of cell phones caused no noticeable interference with patient care equipment, they said.

But a portable CD player caused an abnormal electrocardiographic reading when a patient used it near one of the leads of the device, according to one of several reports in the March issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

And at least two reports suggest that anti-theft devices set up near the doors of retail stores can cause implantable rhythm devices such as pacemakers and defibrillators to malfunction.

return to the table of contents