Doing great

Relax - you have lots of company

by donr - 2015-02-04 12:02:04

I'm not it, but when everyone wakes up tomorrow, they should descend on you like fruit flies on a ripe banana.

Having 21 year old leads extracted is a serious procedure. But it is done every day. I see you live in beautiful Downtown Killeen, Texas. Right next door to Ft Hood. Been there a couple times. Not a medical wasteland, but not exactly Boston, MA. You said that your profession is medical - medical WHAT?

You need to find an interventional cardiologist - usually an EP who does at LEAST 100 of these per year. That's what it takes to be considered proficient! You may have to wander up or down Interstate whatever toward Austin or Dallas to find the right surgeon to do this for you. There are many outstanding heart clinics along that corridor. Baylor has one, I believe Austin does, Dallas, fer sure & ditto Houston. For this procedure, you need to be prepared to travel a bit. The mortality rate runs about 1/2-1% for those who are proficient.

I know we have at least 2 Texas m,embers who have gone through this. Hopefully they will chime in tomorrow.

TYhe best to you.

Donr

Thank you Donr

by chancyboo - 2015-02-05 08:02:52

I did find a Dr at S&W in Temple who works with a Dr Chen from Waco . He told me they can be removed with a laser tech that comes from Dallas and I would have a Surgeon in the room if anything went wrong and they needed to crack my chest.. Oh and my Dr.
I really hope I'm making the right choice, thank you for all your advise.
Medical as paper pusher ( Financial Counseling) patients that do not have insurance and patients that need help with SS and Goverment programs.. Thats me :)

You are opn the right track

by donr - 2015-02-06 12:02:00

What is S&W? Does Chen work out of Baylor? Does he do the requisite 100 p-er year?

The laser is the "Roto-Rooter." It guides itself down the bad lead, cutting a circle around it & freeing it as it goes. The thoracic surgeon in the room, hopefully a normal cardio-thoracic OR, is a requirement for doing one of these jobs. He's there just in case there is a problem w/ the lead cutting. If they accidentally perforate the vein they have but minutes to open you up to fix it.

I'm sorry that none of the successful extraction members came by. I'll see if I can scare one up in the next day or so.

Donr

Let me guess at some of the .....

by donr - 2015-02-07 08:02:59

.....logic on the part of your Dr in this event.

1) You are 37 & need new leads. It will be a lot safer to do it on you at your age than to ignore it & put your new device on the other side & probably have to roto root you at age 57, when there is zero alternatives because BOTH sides are overloaded w/ old leads.


2) They will be easier to get out now they will be at any time in the future.

3) The roto rooter device has now matured to the point where it is reliable & effective & safe enough to warrant doing it. Any improvements in the next ten yrs or so will be marginal at best.

You are going about it correctly!

IF any one of them ever gets edgy about answering your questions or explaining what is going on, don't just run away - SPRINT.

Will see about gewtting a success story or two for you.

Donr

Soon..

by chancyboo - 2015-02-07 10:02:55

Scott and White is Baylor S&W now in Temple, I don't know if he has done 100 per year but I sure am going to find out.
The gave me a cute drawing of the Roto-Rooter process, maybe I really need to look into this way more before I say ok lets get them out.
I do know I will have the normal cardi-thoracic in the OR,so guess that is 1 good thing. :)

Please please do scare one of two for me if you can.. but your support has been great ..

Hi chancyboo...................

by Tattoo Man - 2015-02-09 03:02:46

................if you need just one good friend, here in PM Club, then you have it in Don...

I have had leads removed with no problems...but Don is absolutely right..get someone who is VERY experienced in lead removal.

Some here will disagree with me, but I elected to have a GA...no surgeon wants a distressed patient in my view.

It will be ok
Let us know how it goes...lead removal/replacement is both routine but a very serious matter, especially with long established leads.

Best wishes

Tattoo Man

Tattoo man

by chancyboo - 2015-02-10 01:02:13

Im happy to found a good friend and supporter who really knows what he is talking about. I thank you both for all the info.
I did look up the DR profile and I can't find out how many he has done so I'm waiting for a call back .

Thank you again..

Donr You nailed it with this one ..

by chancyboo - 2015-02-10 01:02:41

You are 37 & need new leads. It will be a lot safer to do it on you at your age than to ignore it & put your new device on the other side & probably have to roto root you at age 57, when there is zero alternatives because BOTH sides are overloaded w/ old leads.

I do feel I'm going about it correctly and thank you again for talking to me.

New leads

by sagehen - 2015-02-11 07:02:04

I have read all of these answers, as this something that I may face. I have had a pm sine Nov 1972, when I was pregnant with my youngest son. I was 32 and had a total heart block. So, in the last 42 years I have had a number of PM's. I am due to have this one replaced in a week or so. I have three leads in one vein and the newest are 24 years old. The Dr said that if they had to laser them out, that I would have to go to Portland. Then he conferred with the Dr who will do the pm change and they decided that as long as the leads are OK, they will leave them alone. At my age, 73, and health problems, the risk would be too great. So I would say to you, Chancyboo, if you have a good Dr and trust him, go with his advice. Although I try not to worry about the time when we have no option, but to change leads, I do have faith in and trust my Dr. I probably haven't helped you much, but I do understand. Good luck.

thanks to donr

by sagehen - 2015-02-11 07:02:49

I will have my questions written down. I wouldn't have known what to ask, but from what you told chancyboo, I do now. I guess as we get older we definitely face our mortality.

Sagehen :)

by chancyboo - 2015-02-12 09:02:49

Sagehen, you really did help me alot and made me feel better with your words and support.
I am going to have them removed and I did find out my Dr. does have a strong background and a bunch of experience . So I'm started to feel more relaxed ..

New leads

by Rufus14 - 2015-02-15 04:02:41

Hi Chancyboo,

I have a biventricular pacemaker and had my leads extracted and replaced two weeks ago due to them mis functioning. (Im 43) I'm in the uk so things maybe slightly different but for my initial implant it was a local anesthetic but for the removal and replacement of wires they gave me a general anesthetic, a laser was used to 'cut' through the scar-tissue. The operation took a few hours, I was in quite a bit of pain for a couple of days as you tend to be pulled around a bit more with them trying to remove the leads but after that pretty much routine recovery - the weirdest thing is the bruise I now have actually follows the shape of the wires !! All the best of luck - you will be fine and echoing others comments it's better to do an extraction and replacement now so in the future there will be space for other wires should you require it.

Doing great

by chancyboo - 2016-08-25 13:36:39

Hi Everyone,

It’s been over a year since I had my 21 year old leads replaced and I’m doing great. I must say my recovery was hard because I ended up getting 4 Blood clots in my left arm, with 2 removed with what I call the rotter rooter procedures. I have not has any new changes to the device and my heart is working strong with 3 leads now. I know there are a lot of scared people out there, my advice is research and ask questions. Follow your gut.. We know our bodies and how we are feeling

I love this sign and the people on here are very friendly.. Thank you for all the support