Pacemaker lead fractured symptoms

lead fracture

by Tracey_E - 2017-03-19 11:20:28

I had no symptoms when mine fractured. It still worked, but it took so much juice to keep it pacing that it killed the battery quickly. If it's not working, you'd feel like before you were paced. 

Extraction warrants a long discussion with your doctor. Some doctors like to extract everything and start fresh. Others prefer to leave well enough alone as long as possible, which was my preference when I needed a new lead. If its only one lead, they can often simply add a new lead and cap the old one off. Extraction is not as high risk as it used to be, but you want it done by someone highly specialized and you should know what you're getting into.

Symptoms

by doublehorn48 - 2017-03-19 11:25:20

I recently had lead extraction.  Had no symptoms.  When my pm was interrogated 3 yrs ago one of the leads had started fraying.  In Nov. at another interrogation the other lead had started fraying.  I was as active as ever and never had  any problems.

Lead replacement

by inch - 2017-04-15 19:23:30

You do not want to cap a lead and replace it with a new one.  There is limited room in the vein.  Usually the subclavian from the left side of your body to the brachialsefalic (spelling) that leads to the superior vena cava then to the right atrium through a valve to the right ventricle.  My superior vena cava is nearly 100% occluded due to vegitation or scar tissue that will grow on leads.  as far as extraction usually one of three ways 1..they will pull on the lead after they unscrew it from ... from lets say the rt ventricle it able and scar tissue has not made this impossible  2 Cook medical makes a mechanical device that assist in detaching the lead from the scar tissue 3 Spectranetic makes a lazer over wire device that burns off the blockage like scar tissue.   YES you need an md that is very experienced    look around.      I have a two chamber device and nearly a 100% blockage of my superior vena cava from vegiation or scar tissue.  I am an RN with extensive cardiac background.  Worked in a pacemaker clinic, all ICU's, assisted in pacemaker inscertions.    If you want more information call you device maker and give them you device info from your card.  I spoke to St Jude's tech support and found out alot that I did not know.  Make yourself an educated consumer.

lead issue

by srf - 2017-05-10 11:53:31

We are facing a multiple lead extraction of very old leads over 20 years old , like 25.

More complicated than usual as my wife had scoliosis ( spelling ) and has a herrington rod in her back and of course her spine isnt straight and could make things more difficult. 

At this point our pick is one of hte very best , Dr. Scherf , he developed the E laser.

So anyway as to the question of fracture lead.

Turns out my wife has a fracture in her lead , she is 100 % dependent. If lead dies she dies.

Anyway a few weeks ago she started experiencing anythig from a slight brief sinking feeling and a number of brief fainting spells. She would be sitting there and for a second or two was out then awake and not knowing what just happened. She could feel it coming on just before she fainted.

Went' to ER twice got the device interrogated once and both time all indications said PM and leads were fine.

So then on to the internist , blood work etc.

Fast forward, we and our cardiologist thought it would be a good idea to moniter for 48 hours just to be sure it's not a heart or PM, lead issue.

Well over that weekend at 2 am the monitor picked up a mis fire from the lead so it was determined that the lead is having a problem.

Since then they have doubled the output of the PM and she's been fine. So now we are trying to get into our surgeon for consult and ASAP lead extraction. 

Hope this helps.

Frayed lead

by deeheart - 2017-07-06 16:59:02

I recently had this happen after only having my biventricular PM for almost 3 years. I started  not feeling so good, a bit dizzy with more arrythmias. I didn't think too much of it because I always have arrythmias, dizziness and palpitations and just got used to "stuff" going on with a hert condition and PM. After a week or so of this I decided to send a remote transmission to my clinic just to make sure. 20mins later they called back and said it looked like one of my leads had frayed and most likely needed surgery. My MD said lead extraction is risky and they usually try to put a second lead in where the initial one is. Long story but that didn't work due to my odd amotomy so the whole PM and leads were placed on my right side (was on the left). Then next day I felt odd pacing in my ribs and it tured out the lead was pacing part of my chest wall and another revision surgery happned the following day. There are no answers why the lead frayed in the first place and all the MD's coud offer is that this occurs with younger and or active patients. I'm pretty active and now very worried this will happen again and I won't be able to resume a normal active life. So I gues my lone answer is if something feels even a little different contact the doc.