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Leave it in?
My mom is 89 years old and 1 year ago had a brain bleed. She has since recovered 100%, which was amazing. 3 months ago she had an over night stay in the hospital because of bladder prolapse. Her pacemaker/defibrillator battery is depleting and it needs to be replaced, however, from what they can estimate - it's only kicking in for her 2% of the time. So, my questions is - could it just be left in the way it is? Why should she be put thru a 2 hour surgery under sedation, if, in reality, she apparently didn't really need this (a family member really stressed that she should have this device be put in). If left in, is there the possibility of the battery leaching toxins? problems with the leading down the line? complications? etc. If anyone, has any information or know of anyone that has had theirs left in (with a depleted battery), I'd love to hear what you have to say. The Dr said it would not be a problem and even called the manufacturer of the device to be sure. If just feel that I need to look into this a bit more - kind of like a second opinion. Appreciate any and all replies.
3 Comments
If she needs it 2% of the time
by Theknotguy - 2015-01-18 01:01:17
If she needs it 2% of the time, she needs it.
Saying she doesn't need it is like saying she doesn't need oxygen 2% of the time either. She would do a lot worse without it.
101 Yr. Old Mother 3rd PM
by Artist - 2015-01-18 02:01:27
My 101 year old other had her 3rd PM implanted at the age of 100. I was worried about this, but was informed by the doctor, that they did not need to replace any leads and would not do that on someone so old. The doctor told me that they do not give a general anesthetic when all they are doing is replacing a PM and are using the same pocket. They use the same anesthesia that dentists use to numb the local area. It is a relatively quick procedure. My mother had no problems and was released from the hospital the same day. In her case this was a good situation since often a stay in a noisy hospital, on a hard bed and in a strange environment is worse than the brief surgical procedure. In your case, I would specifically check the type of anesthesia they will be using. If it is local with no lead replacement the surgery should not be a problem.
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It is just over 10 years since a dual lead device was implanted for complete heart block. It has worked perfectly and I have traveled well near two million miles internationally since then.
replacement
by Tracey_E - 2015-01-18 01:01:13
I would find out exactly why she is paced, what happened that they thought she needed it originally? 2% may not seem like a lot, but do the math. 60 beats per minute x 60 minutes in an hour x 24 hours in a day is just over 86,000 beats a day. 2% of that 1700 beats paced. That can be the difference between tired and not tired, passing out or not.
Another thought, you mentioned ICD. Many with icd don't actually need to pace much, the icd is there for protection for people at risk of a fatal arrhythmia. In that case, not needing it is good. Really, really good! Is the reason they thought she needed it in the first place still valid?
Why would replacing it be a 2 hour procedure? I've had 4 replacements now. If I get an early appointment, I'm home fixing my own lunch. It can even be done without sedation if that's a concern, many have it done with a local. Me, I don't want to remember it, give me the good stuff :) Either way, the surgery itself is very fast and easy, nothing to it. Most of the restrictions from the first placement are from the leads, most of the pain is from creating the pocket. With replacements, they usually leave the leads alone, go in the same place, pop out the old, connect the new. We just have to keep the incision dry.
Leaving it in is safe, it will not leak. However, if she is doing very well overall, I can't see any reason not to replace it. How does she feel about it?