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Will falling dislodge a CRT-D?
It's been 10 mos. since my husband's cardiac arrest & subsequent bi-valve defibrillator was inserted. He's fallen 5 times since then, as his balance is not what it was. So far no problems, but what if he lands on the unit? Will it dislodge it or hurt it? I'm worried he'll fall again when I'm not home. Thanks!
6 Comments
worry
by Gotrhythm - 2014-05-07 03:05:55
I'm sorry your hubby is having so many falls.
But if he has normal wound healing and scar formation, by now the unit and leads are totally encased in scar tissue, and unlikely to dislodge.
As for a fall damaging the unit, dropping to the ground from standing wouldn't produce enough force to hurt it.
I understand why having your husband fall frequently would be worrying, but don't add to the worry with concern for his hardware.
Let's look at it from another aspect -
by donr - 2014-05-07 06:05:48
OUCH! That hurt!
Consider how you pack a fragile object to ship it through the postal service. You stick it in a box w/ padding.
That little Titanium can starts out stronger than steel on a weight basis. So that little device is Pretty strong to start.
Then you stick it inside the body w/ a nice, soft layer of subcutaneous fat beneath it to cushion it. We all have it, no matter how skinny we are.
Granted, there's not much between the PM & the outer world but a layer of skin, but it's well padded from behind & that's enough. To quote an old line - "It'll hurt you more than the PM (or ICD) when you fall directly on it."
For a further example - one of our members did a faceplant on an asphalt road, messing their face & hands up pretty badly. PM came through unscathed.
Not to worry about the PM - worry about your husband!
Donr
Thanks, everyone!
by Music - 2014-05-08 03:05:10
Nice to have feedback so fast...better than Google! He's fine, mentally, and we have a wonderful cardiac team....but the neuropathy he's got from ignoring his diabetes for many years has caught up with him, and it's what caused his heart failure & cardiac arrest in the first place, and his damaged eyesight, and his somewhat lack of perfect control of his feet & hands....that will not get better, the therapists said. Diabetes is such an insidious disease, and now that it's caused all the damage, his sugar levels are now perfect, no more insulin, only a pill, and he's lost a ton of weight. So, he's much 'healthier', but it's too late to undo damage....I wish young people today could know the damage that builds up over the years. Thanks, guys!
Falling
by fishfighter - 2014-05-08 06:05:40
I just hope he is telling his doctors about that. I myself pass out getting up to fast. I had kissed the floor way to many times. To prevent that, I had to learn not to stand up fast .
Hope that helps.
Tumbles
by mtaylor - 2014-08-05 03:08:47
I have taken some pretty nasty falls from skiing and biking since I got my ICD, with no ill effects. (Except my pride) I'm young, I can take it.
Once the leads are grown in, they are not going anywhere fast. Injuries from the falls themselves are more of a concern.
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No
by Tracey_E - 2014-05-07 03:05:32
After the first few days, odds of dislodging it are virtually zero. If he lands on it, it will bruise him but the CRT will be fine. It's titanium, he can't hurt it. When they put it in, they leave slack in the leads so even if you were to bump it really hard, it's not going to affect the leads inside the heart.
One of my dogs ran into the back of my knee one day a few months ago. My face was headed to the metal door frame so I put my hand out to stop the fall. I protected my face but had a fist sized bruise right over the pm. No harm done but it was pretty darned sore for a week or two.