Lead Revision after 2 months with device

Lead revision

by pacerbear - 2017-08-02 02:41:15

I had to have a lead replaced after 2 weeks. I really tried not to raise my arms above my head but who knows what you do in your sleep. I was told it sometimes happens and it wasn't anything I did or didn't do. I have heard people wear a tshirt to bed  and keep the arm on the pacemaker side inside it while they are asleep until the leads have fully integrated.

leads

by Tracey_E - 2017-08-02 09:09:10

First of all, they don't rip out, it's more like wiggling loose. As Robin said, more and more doctors aren't even giving that advice anymore./ There was a study that had patients given the traditional restrictions and patients with none, both groups had the same incident of lead dislodgement. Think about it. The lead is attached to the heart, threads through the vein, there is almost always extra at the end which they coil and place behind the device. No amount of moving is going to tug on it all the way down in the heart. 

That said, leads do sometimes come loose. It's usually in the first 24-48 hours, much more unusual for it to happen later. Sometimes they weren't in a good spot to start with. Sometimes our heart is shaped so that it's hard to find a good spot no matter how talented the doc is. Sometimes the heart wall doesn't like the type of lead they use. And sometimes all is done perfectly but it just happens anyway. The heart is a moving, working muscle and they are placing the leads remotely while watching on xray. It's kind of mind-blowing to me that they ever get it right the first time. 

It's highly unlikely they would come out a third time. If they do, the most common culprit is the last thing I listed- the heart wall doesn't like the type of lead tip they use. You should be good to go now, but if on the off chance it happens again, it's time to get another doctor and dicscuss another type of lead. As Robin said, your bigger risk now is not moving enough and ending up with shoulder problems, not moving too much and having the leads move. 

well said TraceyE

by The real Patch - 2017-08-02 14:57:49

However, personally, I believe it's the doctor's poor workmanship that causes the problem.

My last implant I had 3 new leads and a new EP. He told me to forget all those old stories and live normally. So you se...OH CRAP WHAT WAS THAT .........................

Nah, come on, don't worry so much. The previous problem had nlothing to do with raising your arm