slipped lead

dr. says one of my leads has slipped back. I am scheduled for June 14, 2011 to have it replaced. However, my dr. says i am extremely high risk. so....i don't know what to do. He says I might not be better the full benefit of the lead - far as I know it is still working.
what to do? take a chance with my life? any help would be greatly appreciated.

6 Comments

Debbie

by Gellia3 - 2011-05-19 01:05:32

Maybe what your dr meant for you was that the lead has slipped back from its position at the heart wall. A revision would be in order in that case, I would think.

Drs sure can be a clear as mud!

G

G

by drashmore - 2011-05-19 05:05:48

No, mine pulled out of my heart and had looped around and was at the top of my ventricular instead of the bottom. I had only had my PM for 2 weeks.

Slipped Lead

by Gellia3 - 2011-05-19 11:05:24

Hi,
I have an old abandoned ventricle wire that slipped down into my ventricle in a big loop. Originally I had been advised to have it removed, but laser surgery was very new then, and the is wire highly calcified and scarred to the ventricle wall, so I elected to leave it alone.

It's still there along with my two functioning wires.

It really depends on where your wire is, which one it is, and how long it has been in as to what they do. What makes you high risk? Does your dr plan on removing the slipped wire or is it your condition? If he plans removal, will he use laser and has he done enough of those removals to be proficient at it? If he is just replacing the wire and capping the old one off, the surgery is similar to having a new wire placed. You'd have semi restrictive movement with that arm until the wire is well fixed.

I'm sure there will be others along that can give you sound advice. I can only say be sure you know what your dr is planning before surgery so there are no surprises.

Best to you,
Gellia

Debbie

by Gellia3 - 2011-05-19 12:05:10

Hi,
With mine, my old wire (from 1975) scarred over and stopped functioning. They cut it, capped it off and secured it with sutures. Then I got a dual chamber pacer and two new leads (1982). Somewhere along the line the sutures holding the old 1975 wire broke and the entire wire "slipped back" and down into the ventricle of my heart into a big loop.

It really depends on which wire it is and where the wire slipped to.

I still have mine. It's been done in the ventricle since at least 2001 when it was discovered. I just leave it alone, but again, it was an old abandoned wire. If one of your functioning wire slips you would need a new one ASAP.

That's mine anyway.
Hope this helps.
Best to you,
G

slippped lead

by delst - 2011-05-19 12:05:17

Thank you Gellia for all your information - you have been a big help - at least I know what to ask him.

Drashmore - all I know is the dr. said the lead had slipped back- I was assuming he meant out...a little and I might not be getting optimum pumping power. I have been going into atrial fib for the past few months...had an ablation done....then a week later fired again and went back into atrial fib. Two days ago I was scheduled for a cardioversion and the day before I fired...which knocked me back out of atrial fib - so the cardioversion (as I was on the table) was cancelled. so far I am doing much better...its been two days!!

Slipped Lead

by drashmore - 2011-05-19 12:05:28

I don't understand what you mean by "slipped back." Mine came loose and they rushed me in OR within 2 hrs of finding the problem.

Debbie

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