Surgery question

Hello to all:
I recently had to go in for a second PM surgery due to a "NOISE" malfunction. The surgery was scheduled to determine if the issue came from my leads or pacemaker. After troubleshooting, it was decided that my pacemaker was faulty, so they only replaced the Pacemaker. It appears that after the surgery I did not have a chest x-ray and unfortunatley, my leads where dislodged during the surgery and I was sent home. We discovered this about a week later.

Does anyone know if it is protocol to take a chest x-ray after a pacemaker is implanted?

4 Comments

Somebody Goofed

by SMITTY - 2012-07-16 08:07:56

Hey Penglish,

I'm on my second PM and they didn't do an Xray after the implant of ether. However they did a PM checkup and that would catch a lead that was dislodged during surgery.

What did you say the name of your attorney was?

Smitty

Not Protocol in the UK

by katie13 - 2012-07-17 12:07:55

In the Uk I think it's only protocol to check if they have moved wires, put new ones in etc. I didn't have an x-ray when they moved my box as they said they didn't need to as the wires should not have been affected. Sounds like they should maybe check anyway though!

Xrays

by Pookie - 2012-07-19 01:07:07

I was told that before I left the operating room I had an Xray done of the placement of my PM...I didn't believe them, so I asked for it on disc - yup, there it was:)

Regardless of the Xray (as it was taken only minutes before I left the operating room) my PM not only migrated, one of my leads fell 3 times.

Ended up with 5 surgeries for this pacemaker of mine:)

As far as protocol goes - I think it's probably differs from doc to doc and from hospital to hospital. But if you really want to find out what your hospital did or didn't do, you can ask for your medical records - legally they are yours if you live in the U.S. or Canada. and in there you would be able to read exactly what was done to you.

Hope this helps,
Pookie

Had 2 xrays within 24 hours

by yellowallpaper - 2012-07-21 06:07:15

Hi, I just had my pm implanted yesterday and they did a portable chest xray as soon as I was in my regular room yesterday and then they did another today before I was discharged. They emphasized how I needed to be careful during this first 30 days so the leads don't become dislodged.

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