Recent pacemaker battery replaced.

I had my battery replaced Monday. I posted then becauase that didn’t go so smooth and now it looks like one end of my incision might not be looking so good. I noticed yesterday it was redder than the rest of it. Then today quite a bit redder. Then I noticed it was oozing just in that spot. It was glued shut so it’s been completely dry and glue is still there. Is this normal for a week out or is this a sign it could be getting infected? 

4 Comments

Infection?

by AgentX86 - 2018-06-16 21:17:36

If you think it might be infected, call your cardiologist, now.  It's probably alright but it's not worth taking that chance.  I thought everything was just fine but the incision did start weeping a bit.  My EP didn't like the redness and put me on keflex (which as it turns out, I'm allergic to) but I finished the course.  Err on the safe side!

Ok.

by nat36 - 2018-06-16 22:44:48

Yeah I think I should just get it checked too.  Maybe I am just being paranoid about it but do not want an infection!! 

Just a minor point

by IAN MC - 2018-06-17 07:01:35

I don't agree with Robin's comment    " Definitely a culture before antibiotics"  .

To get the results of a culture takes 2 or 3 days minimum .  Usually a broad-spectrum antibiotic would be given immediately to provide treatment on a best-guess basis until the results of the culture are known

Agent was put on the broad spectrum antibiotic, Keflex ( cephalexin ) for just that reason.

Chances are, NAT, that you have the start of a wound / pocket infection but you do need to hit it IMMEDIATELY  with antibiotics to prevent it from spreading . As you know, infection can lead to removal of the box and leads so I wouldn't delay if I were you.

It is interesting that infection is more common in PM replacement procedures than in initial implants.

Best of luck

Ian

Robin

by IAN MC - 2018-06-17 15:22:14

You make some good points re the difference between what happens in the real and a perfect world BUT I do know that if I had any signs of infection after PM implant I would demand an antibiotic before knowing what the causative bug was.

I spent most of my working life in the antibiotics business and make two points  :-

- The major factor which determines whether or not antibiotic sensitivity testing  ( culture testing ) is carried out seems to be how serious the doctor perceives the infection to be. If they believe the patient has a fairly routine non life-threatening infection then broad spectrum A'B's are fine. So maybe the real issue here is that some doctors do not realise just how serious a pacemaker infection can quickly become.

- It is sometimes relatively easy for the Dr to forecast which bugs are likely to be involved without the need for culture testing e.g. with pacemaker infections it is highly likely to be some strain of Staphylococcus causing the problem.  So blind broad-spectrum treatment is not all bad.  But , and it is a big " but", with increasing bacterial resistance to antibiotics maybe culture testing is becoming even more important

I repeat best of luck to you, NAT. Let us know how you get on

Ian

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I am just now 40 but have had these blackouts all my life. I am thrilled with the pacer and would do it all over again.