Pacemaker rejection?

I received my first pacemaker (Medtornics) April 1, 2014. Everything went along very well for about 3 weeks, then the incision began to drain - it had looked as if it was healing very well -- the site was red, warm to touch and as the days went by drained more and more frequently - drainage was clear red orange in color. They gave me antibiotics for weeks and it continued to open and drain till the opening was about the size of a pencil eraser and the pacer was visible. May 30 they removed it and left me without a pacer for 2 weeks to heal up. Then a Boston Scientific unit was implanted on the right side on June 13. This has healed completely and seems OK to date.

The original incision (left side) continues to drain slightly and is slowly closing and seems it may heal completely, but the site continues to be quite red and slightly tender.

I had similar reactions to every DPT immunization as a child and Tetnus boosters as an adult. The site would be red and feverish 1 day post injection, then settle down and be completely normal. Weeks later it would swell, be red and tender. After a couple weeks it would open and begin to drain a clear redish yellow fluid. In time the vaccine would be expelled from the muscle tissue looking exactly as it had when it was injected. Then slowly after time it would heal and close up leaving a deep hole in the muscle tissue.

The doctors have suggested allergy testing and received a test kit from Medtronics. I will see the allergist in late August. I am now concerned about whether this could be a problem in the event that I needed to have a hip or knee replacement.

This whole experience has been very difficult and kept me away from work for the majority of 3 months, plus the strain on family and keeping me feeling unwell -- then there are the bills which insurance is covering in part, but still significant -- 3 surgeries are not cheap.

2 Comments

infection?

by Tracey_E - 2014-07-20 08:07:30

Have you seen an infectious disease specialist to have cultures done? If it's an infection, sometimes that can be what it takes to kill it once and for all. If it's doing ok on the right side, seems to my amateur eyes to be a higher chance of infection than allergy. Still test for allergy, you need to know, but you might want to pursue infection also, esp if the left is still not healed.

Rejection & Infection

by donb - 2014-07-20 11:07:05

Hi, As TraceyE posted that infection is probably the culprit. I've been the route completely but did real well the 1st 8 years with my 2 implants. Around year 2000 rejection started & I really never got solid allergy reports with 2 more implants.
This past year I finally got to a good infection Dr at a large University hospital. After 7 weeks of IV treatment of Vancomycin with my 6th implant I'm doing well. Having used both left & right chest sites, I have my 6th pacemaker in my right lower abdomen.
My local Cardiologist finally informed me that with my skinny body build, being very active also, chest implant failures are not uncommon. He was happy to see that I went to a large facility who were equipped to handle my case.
I had proper precautions with antibiotics & care at our local facilities previously including heart Stent but with putting a pacemaker in a skinny chest with no fat for protection "AND" upper body muscle usage really aggrivated my implants. Yes, I also had 2 implants under muscle which were really comfortable, but they also went for a ride.
Hopefully you are a normal body person & all goes well.
Good Luck & get infection cleaned up!!
DonB

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