Following the cessation of life, a pacemaker, a small device implanted to regulate heart rhythm, ceases its function. Its power source, typically a battery, depletes without the body’s natural electrical impulses to stimulate. The device essentially becomes inert, no longer emitting electrical signals to the heart.
The presence of implanted medical devices like these raises considerations primarily during the processes of cremation or burial. Leaving a pacemaker intact during cremation can pose a safety risk. The heat can cause the battery to explode, potentially damaging cremation equipment and endangering personnel. Historically, this hazard has necessitated the removal of pacemakers before cremation.
