LEAD EXRACTION

I posted a couple of weeks ago-after a device check my husband found out one of the leads of his ICD had a total break in it.He has just gone back to hospital today and been told that the other lead has possible fracture report said RV lead impedance -200 any insight as to what this means please.The first lead that broke is the LV one and today report says RV lead showing problems.He has had his icd for just over two years and everyone at hospital is totally surprised at this.He has been admitted and they plan to extract the leads and put new ones in.Is he just unlucky re breaks in two leads or has anyone else had this happen?Tks

7 Comments

extraction

by Tracey_E - 2015-10-06 08:10:05

If both leads are bad and the leads are relatively new, extraction is best. If one lead is bad, they can often add a new lead and cap off the old one. Some surgeons prefer to always extract and start fresh. Extraction has come a long way and is much lower risk than it used to be. Just be sure the surgeon does more than 100 a year. Often this means a referral to someone else more specialized, the average practice doesn't have that many patients with old leads.

Are they taking the old ones out?

by jimkirschvink - 2015-10-06 08:10:21

Just curious. I am having a small issue with my atrial lead, and it may need replacing. Are they removing your old lead or leaving it in? I know the operation is a pain to have a lead removed. Any thoughts out there?

second opinion

by Tracey_E - 2015-10-06 12:10:39

Both leads breaking the same way at the same time? I'm no dr but statistically that seems pretty far out to me. I'd get another opinion before surgery, if you can.

BROKEN LEAD/S

by Sylvia1 - 2015-10-07 04:10:07

My consultant has been to see me today and he seems pretty certain that when I fell coming out of bath I fell on my collarbone which as you can see on x Ray has a protruding sharp bit that sliced the first lead on impact and not sure about other one though.

OLD LEADS

by Sylvia1 - 2015-10-07 04:10:42

Still waiting at my local hospital to be transferred to London hospital that specialises in lead extraction.Will see surgeon and he will then decide whether he is removing both the leads-still in shock that both leads have broken.They were not easy to put in as I have thin veins so will it be harder to remove them?

removal

by Tracey_E - 2015-10-07 12:10:32

Scar tissue is what makes them harder to remove, so with them being fairly new it shouldn't be hard to get them out. They may want to put the new ones in from the right side, sometimes there is more room doing it that way.

St. Jude Riatta Broken Leads

by toma1940 - 2015-10-14 02:10:27

I just had two broken St Jude leads replaced. 4-hour surgery. The leads were defective when installed in 2007 and the FDA issued a recall about 2010. Check out the FDA website for comprehensive information on meical device problems. I wish I had known about this website sooner. Especially if it involves St. Jude Medical Devices.

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