Pacemaker replacement possible electrode replacement

Lead removal

by AgentX86 - 2019-10-11 23:28:43

Use the search tool on this site to brouse previous discussions.  This subject comes up regularly and there is tons of information here.

ask lots of questions

by Tracey_E - 2019-10-16 13:46:36

Are they adding a new lead or extracting and starting over? It pays to do your homework on this so you are making an informed decision and understand what is going on. 

I would also question why you need a new pocket and incision. Why not go in the same place? Unless you've had an infection and it needs to be moved, it's a lot easier to reuse the same pocket. I had 4 pacers throught the same incision and placed in the same pocket. 

Lead removal

by Echosmom - 2019-10-16 15:56:44

Apparently the muscle ripped and the pacemaker has slipped down. My old scar is side ways. He will make incision length wise across old incision so pacemaker is easier to remove. He also said electrodes sometimes corrode. If so will have to replace electrodes?

I

corroding electrodes

by Tracey_E - 2019-10-16 17:35:45

Leads do not corrode. They may wear out, stop working, or be damaged, but they do not corrode. They can tell by the interrogation report if there is a problem. If one needs replaced, they can sometimes cap off the bad one and add a new one. If there is no room for that, they can extract what is there and start fresh. These are two TOTALLY different surgeries. You want to know which one you are having in advance. Extraction is considerably more involved and requires someone highly specialized, possibly not the same surgeon. Even if the surgeon is qualified to do an extraction, you want to know going in if that's what is going to happen. 

Something doesn't add up, I would get a second opinion. So what if it's a little harder to remove? I'm no doctor but that doesn't seem to me a good reason to go the other direction with the incision. And the direction of the incision has nothing to do with the pacer not staying in place. You would have felt it if the muscle ripped. Perhaps the stitch they used to hold it in place ripped? That happens. Or sometimes they don't stitch it in place to begin with. As long as it's not getting all twisted up and flipping over, it's not a big deal and they generally don't do anything about it except stitch it better next time. Again, I'm no doctor but that doesn't seem like a good reason to go moving everything and making a new pocket unless you're really unhappy with it as it is. Why start all over with new scar tissue when you can clean up and work with what you already have.