Submammary placement

I am supposed to have a pacemaker replacement in 2 weeks and just found out I might have options for different placement. My current pacemaker is 7 years old and was placed directly under my skin under my collarbone on left side. It has always been very noticeable even under clothing. I started doing some research and came across the PaceMaker Club website and started reading up on women who have had their pacemaker placed submammary. I emailed my doctor to see if that might be an option for me but he doesn't want to discuss that until after my cardiac cath and electro physiology study in 2 days (I don't think he has performed placement there before). Does anyone know of doctor's in the Maryland, D.C. area that do the submammary placement? I am not having much luck looking online.

2 Comments

Placement

by Tracey_E - 2016-02-01 10:02:42

If your ep isn't comfortable with an alternate placement, ask to have a plastic surgeon assist. That's what mine did, easiest job of get day for the plastics guy and the ep didn't have to leave his comfort zone. Insurance covered it. And I love the deeper placement. It never gets in my way, can barely tell its there.

Placement

by mathdoc - 2016-02-02 04:02:54

Newbie here. I got my first pacemaker just about a year ago at age 30. I was lucky and my ep just said he was doing the submammary approach and it was never up for discussion. I can't imagine having it anywhere else, it's definitely worth the extra work of finding someone able to do it. I've been told that pediatric EPs are more likely to do nonstandard placements. That might be another option.

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