Korean Circ J.  2013 Mar;43(3):187-188. 10.4070/kcj.2013.43.3.187.

Electromagnetic Interference of Wireless Local Area Network on Electrocardiogram Monitoring System: A Case Report

• Chung S
• Yi J
• Park SW

• KMID: 2224963
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4070/kcj.2013.43.3.187

Abstract

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) can affect various medical devices. Herein, we report the case of EMI from wireless local area network (WLAN) on an electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring system. A patient who had a prior myocardial infarction participated in the cardiac rehabilitation program in the sports medicine center of our hospital under the wireless ECG monitoring system. After WLAN was installed, wireless ECG monitoring system failed to show a proper ECG signal. ECG signal was distorted when WLAN was turned on, but it was normalized after turning off the WLAN.

Keyword

Wireless technology; Electrocardiography

MeSH Terms

Electrocardiography
Humans
Local Area Networks
Magnets
Myocardial Infarction
Sports Medicine
Wireless Technology

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Electromagnetic interference of wireless local area network (WLAN) on ECG monitor. A distorted ECG signal was displayed on the ECG monitor after placing ECG leads when the WLAN was turned on (A). The ECG was normalized after turning off WLAN (B). The abnormal ECG pattern reappeared right after turning on the WLAN (C). ECG: electrocardiogram.

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