medtronic lead recall/sprint fidelis

ICD Friends,

Since medtronic lead recall lately, I've been just waiting here patiently hoping that the alarm won't sound; Otherwise it's also hoping that the lead will not act up and fracture. It's all so stupid, we're so scared and because I've already had a lead replacement last year it's like "what now?" I'm numbed. Also, everytime you hear something sounds akin to the "beep" of the alert, you cringe in fear....what sort of life is this?
Anyone out there in the same predicament and fear?

3 Comments

leads

by thomast - 2008-01-02 01:01:31

I don't how yours is set but mine is set to beep at 4:00 PM to alert if anything happened the previous 24 hours. So I only have to listen at that time. I am also not going to worry about the chance of a broken lead. Their failure rate is only about 2.3 %, that means 97.7% have not failed. I am just going to assume I will be one of the 97.7% people. While on vacation in Nov. my alert was turned on, I did not hear it for 3 days while driving with the sterio on. After we got to where we were going everyone was setting at the table and everybody said whats that? when it went off. Turned out I had had a short period of AF 3 days before which did not require a shock, it had lasted 2 minutes I did not even notice it. Went into the locale hospital and a Medtronic rep. checked it and then reset the alert. If I had not been stupid and forgot my care link monitor I could have sent it in by phone to my own PM doctor.

lead complications

by bunnykin - 2008-01-03 11:01:53

There're many reasons why I'm concerned about this recall thing; Firstly, I've had complications before and you don't really want this to happen to you honestly. I had a ventricular lead replaced last year due to microperforation of the ventricle. Pericarditis is something that's a nightmare. It was extremely painful. After that bout of problem with the replaced lead last year...lo and behold that was the lead that is now recalled. How about that for luck! But God is good, my VT is quietly at bay but save other arrhythmia that is still a problem. This particular arrhythmia is not to be treated though my doctor had wanted to ablate. But with this lead recall everything is put on hold because I'm pacemaker dependent also. A doctor friend had told me that altho the %age is low 2-3% for fracture, it translates to 4000 to 5000 people in terms of numbers;(268,000 affected worldwide) Hence we can easily be one of them in 30 month period! So he said we musn't be complacent & got to be vigilant though not to be overly worried; My take now is to just live life to the fullest, monitor closely and hope for the best! Thanks to Medtronic....

the time of the sounds

by PreciousDays - 2008-01-09 10:01:40

I found that knowing what time my little chime is set for helped tremendously. it was really bad when every single sound had me contorting to listen to my chest. Now I only respond like that to the sounds I hear around 10:00 am. every day.

and yes - it is just a 2.3% failure at 30 months. Really and truly - only God knows what that percentage will be at 60 months - or 120 or 240 months. I suspect it will go much higher. - if medtronics didn't fear that as well - I highly doubt they would have recalled the leads.

Best to you all.

PD

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It is just over 10 years since a dual lead device was implanted for complete heart block. It has worked perfectly and I have traveled well near two million miles internationally since then.