Pain after 3rd pacemaker replacement

I am a gal who is 78 yrs. old and on July 28th I had my 2nd pacemaker replaced with a Medtronic MRI Surescan pacemaker.  After my 1st & 2nd pacemaker surgeries, I had minor incision pain for only a few days.  This third surgery has been very different.  I have extreme pain that feels like something is tugging on the incision.  The first two pacemakers used the same vertical incision, but this third one is horizontal and located adjacent to the previous incisions.  Could this pain be caused by scar tissue or should I be looking for another cause?  Any suggestions?  Thank you. 

3 Comments

weird

by Tracey_E - 2020-08-30 16:39:53

Why on earth did they do such a different incision? I'm wondering if it's a combination of pulling on scar tissue and maybe the new box being larger than the others? Any new redness or oozing or other signs of infection? A month later no pain should be extreme. I'd ask to have it looked at. 

pain

by Tennessee - 2020-08-30 18:33:42

No, there is no redness or oozing....just pain.  And why they placed it in a new location, I have no idea. I guess I'll have to see someone (and it probably will be the gal who runs the "Pacemaker Clinic" in my cardiologist's office - She has some advanced training dealing with pacemakers and I've seen her since 2004, when I had my first pacemaker. Two weeks after the surgery I went to have it checked and complained about the pain, but she seemed to think it would subside over time.   Obviously, that's not happening.  I"ll call tomorrow and make the appointment.  Thanks for answering. 

A suture ?

by Gemita - 2020-08-31 03:05:20

Tennessee,

So sorry to hear of your pain/discomfort.  Could it be the main suture that holds the device initially in place causing this, I wonder?  Worth asking about potential nerve irritation too which hopefully will settle but you definitely need some imaging to try to sort this out and to see position of leads and device and to look for any obvious displacement as a cause.?
 

 

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But I think it will make me feel a lot better. My stamina to walk is already better, even right after surgery. They had me walk all around the floor before they would release me. I did so without being exhausted and winded the way I had been.