PM lead Extraction

I've poster here before of my complications from my PM surgery. Long story short, afer i got my 1st PM surgery on NOV.5, I went under two more times for lead repositioning. I'm Day 17 post op. A couple of days ago, my cardio did an echo and it showed that the atrial lead was free and nearing the tricuspid valve. That lead is already shut down- it never really worked, and because it was stimulating my diaphragm, they shut it off.

The EP agreed to get rid of it. During my EP visit, I had a rather strange variation of pre-syncopal episode. Because they recently set my PM to kick in at 50 BPM, my HR dropped to the 50's. Though I usually tolerate that, I guess i didn't that time. i assume my BP lowered also, causing me to experience pre-syncope.

My cardio was notified of this and saw me in the ER of another hospital. He set up an appointment with my surgeon to remove that atrial lead because it's irritating the heart. We didn't know it was planned for today, so we missed it- now its on monday.

Thing is, how do they do a lead extraction? Do they have to remove the pulse generator to do that? Also, because the ventricular lead is in good position, I don't want them pulling on it accidentally- what r the canes of that happening?

They are also going to re-program it to 60 BPM.

3 Comments

Thanks

by girl dreamer - 2012-12-02 02:12:24

Thanks for your replies!

Yeah- the lead is new and not attached to anything; it's dislodged and free-floating in the atrium. i'm just bummed out that they have to open the site again.

I'm worried about accidental pulling of the other lead.

lead extraction

by daisy41763@yahoo.com - 2012-12-02 03:12:33

I just got my 2d pm., Wednesday and a lead extraction. They do have to open up the sit again. I looked it up on YouTube and found a video where they extracted a lead.
if your the squimish type don't watch it. Its graphic the lead you need removed is new I assume. The leads inserted into the vein and then its inserted in the pm and screwed tight into place.

extraction

by Tracey_E - 2012-12-02 08:12:03

If it's new, all they do is pull it out, they don't have to to do the full extraction procedure with the laser. I don't know if they'll take the pulse generator out or now but they'll go in the same place where they put it in so it won't really matter if they do or not.

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