Pierced lung

My surgery is scheduled for 4/25. I have been logging on the website almost every day for encouragment and any information I can obtain. For the most part I feel much better after logging on and reading everyone's stories. I keep hearing people say that their lung was pierced during the surgery. Is this common? I'm going back to work after four days so I am praying for a speedy recovery. Thanks.

6 Comments

Wrong spot

by Theknotguy - 2014-03-17 11:03:47

This, being a forum for problems, will give you a skewed view of what's going on. You'll see more problems on this site than normally seen in reality.

I used to do computer repair. You'd think, talking to me, that every computer in the city was broken.

I don't know what the percentage is for pierced lungs during pacemaker installations but it has to be a very small percentage. With over 3 million pacemaker patients, having a few problems is going to happen.

The only place I've heard about pierced lungs is on this forum and that's only been two in the last five months. This is an international forum so it covers a lot of procedures. The percentages have to be very low.

I also belong to Mended Hearts in a large metropolitan area. Club membership is over a hundred with about another 100 visitors in the last five month period. No comments have been made about anyone having a pierced lung during a procedure. I would have heard about it in the meetings.

You can also check with your medical insurance. Quite often they have a nurses hotline - and it's free. They can give you a better feeling for the number of pacemaker implants and the number of problems. They can probably also give you a number for pierced lungs across the US for an entire year. It may be another avenue to explore.

Just the same, I'd have a discussion with your cardiologist. In this area, doctors are willing to address your concerns. Also, in the medical group in which my doctor practices, they have one doctor devoted to doing pacemaker procedures. With the experience he has he's got to be very good.

Hope this information helps you.

Theknotguy

Mine was pierced

by Dee224 - 2014-03-18 01:03:14

I had PM surgery 3 weeks ago today due to sudden onset of 3rd degree AV block, and my lung was pierced. Luckily it was not a big deal. I wound up with a 20% pneumothorax upon the first chest x-ray. A follow up x-ray the next day showed improvement, so nothing else was done.

My daughter had a spontaneous pneumothorax when she was in high school, and I remember the pain and discomfort she felt. I was worried that something like that would result, but I really felt no discomfort or pain from it at all.

As others have said, check with your doctor. It is a possibility, but does not happen often. In fact my surgeon was extremely surprised that he had nicked my lung during surgery.

Back to work after 4 days? Hopefully your job is not physically stressful. Good luck and try to give yourself time to heal. You will be amazed at how quickly you will start to feel better.

Just had mine yesterday

by marnid - 2014-03-18 06:03:53

I don't know much, but at least I can be encouraging, I had my PM put in yesterday, it was fine, no problems. Now I just have to keep my arm down at waist level for awhile, then they told me, do whatever you want to do and go live your life and have fun. Hope that helps. I had an Afib episode, first time, so this is all new to me as well. They say it's sick sinus syndrome, I have a lot of investigating to do.

Thanks for the encouragement.

by 2219kg - 2014-03-18 10:03:29

I figured a pierced lung was probably rare. I thought it was odd that I was reading about it more than usual. I have been logging on for a while now and all of the words of encouragement and success stories have really helped me with deciding to move forward with getting a pm. I have come to the realization that I fantasize about feeling better way to much. I work in a high stress job but its at a desk so we shall see. I think I may have been talked into taking a week. Doc says I can go back to work the next day. Thanks again. I may have a few more silly questions over the next few weeks. Thanks again. Marnid, I am wishing you a speedy recovery and all the best.

Complications

by trish - 2014-03-18 10:03:41

I had pacemaker implant 2 months ago. Did not have lung pierced but did have right ventricle pierced. The chances of that happening are 0.07percent. Delayed my recovery about a week. I would not have wanted to return to work for about a month unless job was entirely sedentary. Did walk and go to Tia Chi before one month. Now feel great. Trisha

No

by jeanlancour - 2014-03-18 12:03:52

It is not common, on this forum you will hear things that don't commonly occur. This winter there has been more about lungs being pierced than I had heard in the year and half that I have been here. Don't know why that is, I was wondering if the winter finally got to some of the surgeons.Not something I would worry about, mention it to your surgeon and see what he says. You will be fine. Jean

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