Reported Reactions

Devices › Permanent pacemaker electrode

Device brand name · Permanent pacemaker electrode

Lead: medical device reports filed with FDA

1,234 reports name it, 1994–2026. Manufacturer given most often on reports: Medtronic. Product code DTB.

1,234
device reports naming the brand
0% of all MAUDE reports · about 38 a year
118
reports, 12 months to August 2026
92 in the 12 months before
59.7%
classified as malfunction
43.9% across the product code
0.5%
classified as death, as reported
6 reports · not verified by FDA

FDA's MAUDE database holds 1,234 reports that name the brand "Lead" (permanent pacemaker electrode), received between January 1994 and August 2026; the manufacturer given most often on reports is Medtronic. Spellings of one product vary from report to report.

118 reports arrived in the 12 months to August 2026, up 28% from 92 in the 12 months before. FDA releases MAUDE data monthly; reports can arrive months after an event, so the newest months grow in later releases. The event types recorded are malfunction (59.7%), injury (39.2%) and death (0.5%); across all permanent pacemaker electrode reports (product code DTB) death is recorded in 2.9% and malfunction in 43.9%. Event type is the reporter's classification of the report, not a verified outcome.

The device problems coded most often are defective device (10%), impedance problem (5.2%) and insufficient device problem information (4.9%). The patient problems coded most often are failure of implant, pain and device embedded in tissue or plaque. FDA states that "MDR data alone cannot be used to establish rates of events, evaluate a change in event rates over time or compare event rates between devices. The number of reports cannot be interpreted or used in isolation to reach conclusions about the existence, severity, or frequency of problems associated with devices." It adds that the reporting system "has limitations, including the potential submission of incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased data."

Reports by month, five years

0210419Sep 2021: 4Oct 2021: 2Nov 2021: 8Dec 2021: 82022Jan 2022: 0Feb 2022: 0Mar 2022: 5Apr 2022: 3May 2022: 1Jun 2022: 4Jul 2022: 2Aug 2022: 3Sep 2022: 3Oct 2022: 1Nov 2022: 2Dec 2022: 22023Jan 2023: 3Feb 2023: 1Mar 2023: 3Apr 2023: 1May 2023: 2Jun 2023: 1Jul 2023: 62Aug 2023: 419Sep 2023: 34Oct 2023: 32Nov 2023: 3Dec 2023: 102024Jan 2024: 9Feb 2024: 11Mar 2024: 21Apr 2024: 7May 2024: 12Jun 2024: 18Jul 2024: 25Aug 2024: 10Sep 2024: 3Oct 2024: 3Nov 2024: 3Dec 2024: 92025Jan 2025: 5Feb 2025: 9Mar 2025: 3Apr 2025: 10May 2025: 8Jun 2025: 17Jul 2025: 15Aug 2025: 7Sep 2025: 15Oct 2025: 12Nov 2025: 5Dec 2025: 162026Jan 2026: 17Feb 2026: 6Mar 2026: 10Apr 2026: 9May 2026: 17Jun 2026: 8Jul 2026: 1Aug 2026: 2

Reports by the month FDA received them. FDA releases MAUDE data monthly; reports can arrive months after an event, so the newest months grow in later releases.

By year received

02865711994: 3319941995: 961996: 1019962006: 32007: 1120072012: 52013: 620132014: 52015: 620152016: 112017: 1020172018: 72019: 1720192020: 472021: 4720212022: 262023: 57120232024: 1312025: 12220252026: 70

Event type and report source

Event type, as classified on the report

Death0.5%6
Injury39.2%484
Malfunction59.7%737
Other0.4%5
Not given0.2%2

Who filed the report

Manufacturer report23.9%295
Voluntary report64.5%796
User facility report0%0
Distributor report1.1%13
Not given10.5%130

Grey bar: all 327,317 reports carrying product code DTB. Event type is the filer's classification and is not verified by FDA.

Device problems coded

Device problem (FDA code)ReportsShareShare across product code
Defective devicethe device was defective12310%0.6%
Impedance problem645.2%4.3%
Insufficient device problem information604.9%1%
Breakthe device broke473.8%1.8%
Defective component453.6%0%
Over-sensing443.6%13.2%
Migration or expulsion of device342.8%0.2%
Output problem282.3%0%
Fracturea broken bone252%4.8%
Under-sensing241.9%17.1%
Failure to capture221.8%9.7%
High capture threshold211.7%12.3%
High impedance191.5%10.7%
Ambient noise problem171.4%0.4%
Inappropriate/inadequate shock/stimulation151.2%0.3%
Positioning problem151.2%2.2%
Device sensing problem141.1%1.9%
Protective measures problem131.1%0%
Signal artifact/noise131.1%5.2%
Capturing problem110.9%4.2%

FDA's device problem codes as entered on the report; one report can carry several. Generic codes such as "no apparent adverse event" are left out.

Patient problems coded

Patient problem (FDA code)ReportsShare
Failure of implant1098.8%
Painpain, site not specified161.3%
Device embedded in tissue or plaque141.1%
Intracranial hemorrhage141.1%
Shock from patient lead(s)121%
Bacterial infectiona bacterial infection80.6%
Discomfortdiscomfort70.6%
Headachehead pain70.6%
Syncope/fainting70.6%
Cognitive changes50.4%
Convulsion/seizure50.4%
Dysphasia50.4%
Erosion50.4%
Fever50.4%
Cerebrospinal fluid leakage40.3%

Patient problem codes are present mainly in reports filed since 2019 and are often blank.

In context

MeasureLeadProduct code DTBAll MAUDE reports
Reports1,234327,31726,136,888
Share of that pool—0.4%0%
Classified as death, per 1,000 reports5299
Classified as injury39.2%53.1%36.2%
Classified as malfunction59.7%43.9%62.3%
Filed by the manufacturer23.9%96.8%94.9%

Shares are of reports, not of devices in use. FDA states that "MDR data alone cannot be used to establish rates of events, evaluate a change in event rates over time or compare event rates between devices. The number of reports cannot be interpreted or used in isolation to reach conclusions about the existence, severity, or frequency of problems associated with devices." It adds that the reporting system "has limitations, including the potential submission of incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased data."

Other brands with product code DTB

BrandReportsLatest 12 monthsClassified as death
CapSureFix Novus Lead MRI SureScan108,10317,5541%
Capsurefix Novus57,53846.8%
CapSureFix Novus MRI SureScan18,9093,2431.3%
CapSure Sense Lead MRI SureScan8,7741,3371%
CapSure SP8,2232263.9%
Capsurefix7,28406.3%
Permanent Pacemaker Electrode5,0413320.4%
Capsure Sp Novus4,80309.5%
Capsure Sense4,74006.4%
Flextend6,8362030.7%
Attain Otw7,77309.1%
Tendril Sdx8,31632.3%
CapSure Epicardial Lead4,8427601.5%
Tendril Sts54,0364,3203.1%
CapSure SP Novus Lead2,7153311.1%

Ordered by report count for navigation only. FDA states that "MDR data alone cannot be used to establish rates of events, evaluate a change in event rates over time or compare event rates between devices. The number of reports cannot be interpreted or used in isolation to reach conclusions about the existence, severity, or frequency of problems associated with devices." It adds that the reporting system "has limitations, including the potential submission of incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased data." FDA also states that "common products may have a higher number of adverse events due to the higher total number of people using the product."

Questions about Lead reports

How many FDA reports name Lead?

1,234 medical device reports in the openFDA MAUDE release of 28 Sep 2026, covering reports received through August 2026; 118 in the latest 12 months.

What kinds of events are reported?

malfunction (59.7%), injury (39.2%) and death (0.5%). "Event type" is how the report was classified when filed: death, injury, malfunction or other.

What device problems are coded?

defective device (10%), impedance problem (5.2%), insufficient device problem information (4.9%), break (3.8%) and defective component (3.6%). These are FDA's device problem codes as entered on the report.

Who files these reports?

voluntary reports (64.5%), manufacturer reports (23.9%) and distributor reports (1.1%). Manufacturers and user facilities are required to report; voluntary reports come from health professionals and the public.

Do these reports show that Lead was at fault?

No. FDA states that "MDR data alone cannot be used to establish rates of events, evaluate a change in event rates over time or compare event rates between devices. The number of reports cannot be interpreted or used in isolation to reach conclusions about the existence, severity, or frequency of problems associated with devices." It adds that the reporting system "has limitations, including the potential submission of incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased data." FDA adds that "a causal relationship cannot be established between product and reactions listed in a report."

How do I report a problem with a medical device?

Through FDA MedWatch (Form FDA 3500 for health professionals and consumers), or to the manufacturer. See the guide on how to report.

Where this comes from. Counts are built from the openFDA Device Adverse Event (MAUDE) bulk export released 28 Sep 2026, which holds reports FDA received through 31 Aug 2026. Brand, generic and manufacturer names are as written on the reports; product code names come from FDA's device classification. A report counts here when any device it lists carries this brand name after punctuation and capitalisation are normalised. No report narrative, lot number, patient detail or reporter identity is published. See the methodology and sources; FDA's record is authoritative, and corrections are handled within five working days.

Drug data (FAERS) through 30 Jun 2026; device data (MAUDE) through 31 Aug 2026. Not medical advice.