Icd implanted under breast muscle

Hello everyone! It is so wonderful to find this club. I am two weeks away from my surgery and would like to connect. I am so amazed by the support... it's so wonderful. 
I was wondering if anyone had the pacemaker or defibrillator implanted under the breast muscle? 
 


4 Comments

Sub Pectoral Implant

by Beattie - 2021-12-04 16:43:52

Hi there 

Welcome! 

Yes I have had 2 PM implants both were Sub Pectoral I can't speak from experience on ICD implants though sorry. 

I believe the initial surgery a little more painful than under the skin implant, but once i recovered from surgery I found  I  can hardly see the implant, EP has it  very well hidden and it gives more protection against accidental bumps. 

I am very thin so it was my only option if I didn't want it sticking out! 

Good luck with everything hope you all goes well! 😊

ICDs are big

by crustyg - 2021-12-05 05:04:38

Because they have to contain a large capacitor to hold the energy for the internal shock, ICDs are significantly larger than a standard PM.  So the tissue disruption from having an ICD placed sub-pec will create a lot more pain.

There are several contributors here who've had sub-pec PMs, and they all report that the post-op pain is a lot more than a sub-dermal site, but for most, this prolonged discomfort was worth it for the improved cosmetic result and fewer daily living issues - e.g. car seatbelts.

Is your EP-doc willing to place an ICD sub-pec?  Have you discussed it?

Thank you!

by Rachel88 - 2021-12-05 12:29:56

Thank you so much for your answers, this is great! I am thin also and that's why this came as an option. There is a difference between icd implanted under the pectoral muscle and under the breast muscle. Just want to make sure you had it under the breast muscle. They make a pocket as you make for the breast implant and they implant the icd there. Is that what you had done? 

subpec and submammary

by Tracey_E - 2021-12-06 09:46:18

I've had both! I have a pacer, not an icd, so it's smaller. When I got my first one, I was very underweight, 5'6", 110 lbs, so my surgeon brought in a plastic surgeon to assist in making it look good. I was sore after but it was totally worth it, imo. The downside is, it was buried very deep and when it was time to replace the new surgeon didn't like how hard it was to get out so he moved it to subpec. It's good there, too, but I preferred submammary and was not happy with him for moving it (we discussed it before and I said please do not move it. He is no longer my ep!). With submammary I didn't even know it was there, had to poke at it to feel the edges. With subpec, it slipped from its original position so it pokes out when I raise my arms. Not painful but it's annoying.

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