Falling hard with a PM

hi everyone:
Long time listener, first time caller. :)

I have a dual lead Medtronic PM implanted in mid-november 2015, to be followed by a revision surgery November 24 for lead perforating the ventricle wall and consequent pericardial effusion.

Doing great now, overall, but the other day, I tripped and fell HARD with outstretched hands onto a concrete floor the other day. It was a complete wipe-out. :}

My left collar bone (the PM side) is still pretty stiff as a result of the fall, but otherwise I feel fine. I'm thinking that the fact that I'm feeling ok is probably the best indication that the leads are intact, but does anyone know if falling hard can disrupt leads either in placement or by fracturing them?

I know docs recommend avoiding impact sports, so I'm wondering if they have the same concerns about hard falls.

I have a pacer check on Dec 31, so they can check then, I'm assuming, but in the mean time, I'm wondering about your experiences with falling heavily with a PM.

Thanks for sharing your advice and experiences~

AJ

3 Comments

falling

by Tracey_E - 2015-12-30 03:12:55

You are correct, if you feel ok then you are pacing, which means the leads are in place.

One of my dogs plowed into the back of my knee once, sent me flying face first into a door. I stuck my hand out to break the fall, landed fist to pacer. I had a fist shaped bruise over the pacer for a while and it was pretty sore but no lasting damage. The risk is to us, not the device. They're titanium, the leads are flexible and meant to bend with us. Us, not so much.

Falling

by Good Dog - 2015-12-30 12:12:24

I have fallen hard twice in the last couple of years. Once I broke a rib and most recently injured my shoulder (rotator cuff). My PM was unaffected. These devices and the leads are really rugged. So not to worry.

Thank you and update

by ac2526 - 2016-01-03 03:01:30

hi all:

Thank you for the reassurance.

At my pacer interrogation last week, I 'fessed up to them that I had fallen and was concerned about things. They checked out the PM and the leads, and said all was working great.

I had noticed also that my PM was in a slightly different rotated position on my chest. The lead connection part had moved to the top of the pocket instead of the left side, and the pacer tech and the nurse both said that that's ok as long as the leads indicate they're working.

My EP noted that you can use the healing of the scar to understand the healing of the heart around the leads. Once your incision scar is 100% (or more) healed, then your leads are likely embedded.

So--all is well. I don't have to go back until Dec 2016, and my battery is set for 10-12:5 years. I'm paced 98% in my atrium and only 0.5% in the ventricles. My range is 60-130, and I'm cleared to work out (although with some caution in ROM of left arm until March to ensure the leads settle in ok; I don't want more complications.)

Thanks, all, and happy new year!

AJ

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