Pacemaker leads

I don't need a pacemaker change for another 4years yet but have had a box change already but no lead extraction so I have had my pacemaker 10 years already has anyone else have there leads a long time and had any extractions I heard its a complicated surgery and is the recovery time the same as the original implant I am just curios?

2 Comments

leads

by Tracey_E - 2013-04-27 11:04:21

Leads last on average 15 years. Some don't make it that long, we have members who have leads that have lasted 30 years or more and are still working well.

Lead extraction gets better all the time. They keep improving the laser sheath technology, and more and more surgeons are getting experienced at it.

There are two schools of thought on lead replacement. Some drs prefer to always extract and start new. Some prefer to put it off and get creative. When I needed a new lead a few years ago, I found an ep of the latter opinion. First choice was to add the new lead on top of what I already had. We did a venogram to see how much space was there, there was plenty of room so that's what we did. If that hadn't worked, we were going to put the new lead on the other side. Last choice would have been extraction, not because I was afraid of it but because I'm still fairly young (46) and expect to outlive my new leads so putting off extraction as long as possible decreases my chance of needing it twice. It also gives the amazing research minds out there time to work on batteries that last longer, leads that are thinner and last longer, better laser sheaths, and (my dream) batteries that recharge and wireless pm's that don't need leads.

An oldster here.

by Gellia3 - 2013-04-27 12:04:38

Hi,
I'm one of those that has old leads. Mine are from my first dual chamber prototype PM in 1982. They are still functional and I plan on keeping them as long as they are.

My EP says, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

That sums it up for me. Don't worry about your leads. They check them all the time and they're a lot tougher than you think. There is nothing I have missed in my life at all.

I'm with my EP and TraceyE. It's a last choice option of many.

Good luck with your PM.
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Best to you,
Gellia

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