Looking for informaiton on leads

If their is a problem with the leads on the pacer has it become a routine procedure to remove them. At one time it was a real risk. Are their some Dr.s that just specalize in the removal. My leads have been in for over eleven years.

3 Comments

leads

by Tracey_E - 2009-05-05 02:05:03

It is still somewhat risky, but it is better than it was. There are a few doctors who specialize in it, definitely get one of them if you can. If you search the old posts, we've had a few members go through it. A few mentioned doctors names.

They can usually put 2 sets of leads in before they have to remove them so if you've only got one set odds are good you can just put the second set on top of it. I'm in that situation now also. I've had mine for 15 yrs and need new leads when I get my next battery. They've mentioned possibly removing them but will try to put the new ones on top of the old ones first. Since I'm only 42 I'm sure I'll eventually need an extraction but I'd rather do it sooner than later! Give them more time to perfect the procedure.

lead Removal

by turboz24 - 2009-05-05 03:05:40

My current EP rarely leaves the leads in place. If he needs to add a new one, he will remove the old lead first. I believe he said he does 100+ lead removals a year.

I have heard him in the office not want to remove a lead before, but that was a pretty old patient who he felt wouldn't survive the lead removal.

Lead Removal

by SMITTY - 2009-05-05 06:05:38

Hi Jan,

The doctor proposed removing one of my leads at about five years as it needed to be relocated to solve a problem I was having. I had an option and I turned it down because I simply did not like the idea of anyone having to use a laser to cut away any tissue that may be hindering the removal of the lead.

If you look around for some of the articles on lead removal you will see that in some cases they can be removed with little or no problem and then there are some real horror stories on lead removal. I certainly agree with Tracey and Turboz, be sure you have a doctor with lots of experience in lead removal. And I would definitely caution anyone about having this procedure performed at a teaching hospital. I get my health care at a teaching hospital and I ---, well enough about who I would expect to be a major player if I had to have one removed at that hospital. I know doctors have to be trained, but let them "practice" on somebody else.

With all that said lead removal, like almost everything, has come a long ways in the last few years, so it is not the high risk procedure it was at one time.

Good luck,

Smitty

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