large breasts and pacemakers
- by hairfairy
- 2012-09-07 05:09:24
- Complications
- 3567 views
- 15 comments
Hahaha I thought that would get your attention. In may I had a dual chamber device implanted. About 3 days after I came home I felt my abdomen jumping. It was discovered that the atrial lead came out. Surgery performed to reposition lead. Xrays done immediately after and lead had slipped down again. It was discovered that when I'm laying down every thing is fine but when I sit up with large breasts,they pull the slack out of the lead and pull it out. They had to go back in and add some slack an hour after first surgery. I thought this was an important thing to know . But, don't you think they should know this in the first place. It's not like I'm the only large breasted woman with a PM.
15 Comments
ditto
by Tracey_E - 2012-09-08 03:09:49
What Don and PacerRep said, he should have 1) left slack and 2) sutured it in. You are not the only women larger than a b-cup to get a pm. I'd be finding a new dr.
will be thinking of you
by Hope - 2012-09-08 06:09:27
Hairfairy, After reading all of our comments again, I feel we are all so apalled at what happened to you, we failed to tell you we are here for you. This has to be something you are having a hard time with emotionally and physically. Please let us know how you are doing as you deal with what you now know. Hopeful Heart
THIS STRIKES ME AS ODD...
by donr - 2012-09-08 07:09:03
...Look at the X-rays in here & you'll see lots of excess wire between the PM & where the leads enter the vein. My X-ray looks like an explosion in a wire factory, w/ wires all over the place. I had one X-ray tech liken my chest to a junkyard.
Sees to me to me that if this is happening immediately after implant that the excess lead there should have to be stretched out before it ever got to pulling on the lead in the vein. Also, all that wire & stuff is not very far from the vein, so I cannot see much stretching at that point. From a purely engineering point of view, this story sounds flaky.
I'd say almost to cover poor surgical technique. I'd say you are not unreasonable to question what is happening.
Are you particularly tall? so that the leads don't have a lot of slack?
Don
What a bunch of crap
by PacerRep - 2012-09-08 08:09:54
Blaming his dislodgements on your boobage. It is true that they will tug on the lead, but that's what a "Sutre Sleeve" is for, it anchors the lead down to the muscle. He didn't leave enough slack in his "J" where he placed his lead. The extra slack that donr speaks of if mostly out of play since its behind the sleeve. He just screwed up...twice
Had probelms without breasts
by ILoominatedEKG - 2012-09-08 09:09:33
The cardio had to split stitches twice because my lead moved while I was on the table. The third time, he gave it an extra twist or two and pierced the heart. I had bad pain on a regular basis and had to threaten to remove my PM with a box knife to get them to find out why.
The point is that they don't know everything and tend to tap dance when they are inexperienced, screw up, or are uncertain. It's the God complex they give them in med school. Just make sure he fixes it. I'm not sue happy, but if I were you I would insist he fixes his F up on HIS dime.
Now you have me worrying about my man boobs. By the way, have you posted any pics of the problem? JUST KIDDING!!!! LOL
Dave
IloominatedEKG
by PacerRep - 2012-09-08 10:09:22
I see what you are saying and I agree a lot of surgeons have the God complex....a lot of them. but I do disagree that thsi complex is why he is tap dancing. Physicians say things like, well it was your boobs...or your so fat that the weight when you stand up shifts down and pulls the lead out etc etc. Or as in another members case "you had a bad pain reaction to the placement of the leads". All these are just ways to cover up that they dicked the proceedure up and they are terrified of mal-practice lawsuits. CYOA.
Again to be fair, Large patients and also large breasts do pull on the lead more when going from a laying down position to a standing one, but its easily corrected by feeding more of the lead past the sutre sleeve. The shift in weight should never be able to add torque to the Helix at the end of the lead, if it does then its physician error.
My 2 cents again
think your EP probably has some nice swamp land for sale also
by Hope - 2012-09-08 12:09:41
Hi! Think I have heard of it all now. I come from a family that all the women have their share. On my second ICD. Both scars are almost perfectly horizontal with only the slightest variance. My EP uses taping during the device procedure, and everything is in its proper place, internally and externally afterwards. As I am writing, I am still in disbelief of what I just read in your post that your EP has done to you and is blaming on your body. Terrorfies me as a woman that he is on the lose. Hopeful Heart
Hairyfairy
by donr - 2012-09-11 10:09:40
Your tale of woe has enthralled me since I first read it. My first comment was based on my simple engineering mind for design of "Thingy's" that have flexible leads attached to them. You always leave sufficient slack such that the connections will not be stressed by relative movement by the things connected. In this case, the PM & the vein first & the vein entrance & the heart second.
I've just spent several hours Googling on "Suture Sleeves" & reading enough about them to make my eyeballs swim. My conclusion: I don't have to be a surgeon to recognize that all that rat's nest of extra wire coiled up between my PM & the vein & flopping around inside my vein & heart are completely necessary to keep everything functioning well for the long haul.
Doesn't matter if you were built like "Morganna, the Kissing Bandit" of baseball fame, or Twiggy of Brit advertising fame, you leave slack!
IMHO, you've got a legit complaint of poor surgical procedure. bordering on mal-practice.
Go get 'em!
Don
befuddled
by hairfairy - 2012-09-11 12:09:58
after reading all of your posts and support I'm rather befuddled. one of the problems has been that I had to file a grievance as they are not wanting to take responsibility and pay for the revision. I thought the excuse they gave would prove my point that it was their fault. I assumed that when they said they didn't allow enough slack they were admitting fault It never occured to me that they might be trying to blame my anatomy. I just figured they did enough of these they ought to know enough and that it proved my point . Hmmmm,I might be in for a fight. Thanks for enlightening me,and all the support , I guess i need some lol
thanks
by hairfairy - 2012-09-12 07:09:43
Thank you all very much for taking time and interest in my problem. Thank you for your hours of research donr,sorry about your eyeballs ;) I was informed today that my provider would not cover the costs of the revision. I have a $75,000.00 per year limit on my plan. The revision has put me well over that. I now had to file a complaint with the independant medical review board. I am a fighter,but w/o all your input ,I wouldn't have known to fight. Now, armed with my new found knowledge,and God on my side ,I will prevail!!!!! Any and all input that can help me win this battle is greatly appreciated. Annndddd you know a 36D is not relatively large sheeeesh!!!!!!!
How far is...
by donr - 2012-09-12 10:09:20
...your incision down from your collarbone? When you are standing outside the shower holding a towel in your hands?
Now go lie down on your bed & take the same measurement. I'll betcha that they do not differ by more than an inch, if that much.
If that hack "surgeon" did not leave an inch of slack, total, in the lead between the entry point into the vein & the point of attachment in the heart, he had to be trying to make it too tight!
This is the biggest pile of cattle feed lot paving I've seen in a long time!
Don
You know you're wired when...
Batteries not included takes on a new meaning.
Member Quotes
As for my pacemaker (almost 7 years old) I like to think of it in the terms of the old Timex commercial - takes a licking and keeps on ticking.
should know
by TW - 2012-09-07 07:09:18
Interesting. They should know, however I am left handed and my pm is on my left side.