Magnetic leads

I'm new here so please forgive me if this subject has already been blogged.

My pacemaker / de-fib wes implanted in Nov 2017.  The leads are magnetic.  Since that procedure, I have had the need for an MRI on two occasions (prostate and R knee).  Unfortunately due to the magnetic leads, the MRI procedure could not be done thus the diagnosis and need for surgery has been impaire / comprimised.  I know that non-magnetic lead pacemakers of the same make and model were available at the time.

Has anyone out there ever brought legal action against his cardiac surgeon et al, for neglect or malpractice in a similar case.  Please advise.  Thank-you.

Blessings, VikingSwede

1 Comments

leads

by Tracey_E - 2019-08-16 21:57:11

The word isn't magnetic, it's mri-compliant. Some leads are specifically made to be mri safe. However, they've more or less decided that all leads are not mri- safe, whether they are labeled that way or not. 

If you have mri-compliant leads, you can't go just anywhere and have an mri. There is a particular protocol to follow, so saying you have mri safe leads is a bit misleading. 

On the flip side, there are more and more facilities, usually larger hospitals rather than outpatient imaging facilities, that are able to safely to do an mri on a patient with a pacemaker with leads less than 10 years old.

So, your next step is to find a facility that can do the mri. You might have to make some calls, you might have to travel, but it can be safely done. 

And no, bringing legal action against the cardiac surgeon is not going to get you anywhere. The need to have a pacemaker far outweighs the potential need to someday need an mri. There are some limitations to the mri-compliant leads so perhaps your doctor had another reason for choosing them for you. They were fixing your heart, that was the primary concern. 

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