Crt leads

I was just told that I will need surgery to place my third wire after 2 attempts.

Has anyone had their lead inserted via surgery?

 


4 Comments

Batteries & Leads

by Weezie69 - 2018-10-01 22:27:46

Lefty2. Are you talking about a third wire that goes to the left ventrical? I think they are usually done in surgery since vessel to put it thru is not easily accessible.

We need more information

by AgentX86 - 2018-10-01 22:44:57

You don't give any information, here, or in your bio.  How old are these leads?  Is this the third (RV) lead of a CRT pacemaker (Weezie's question)? Is this the third lead because the first to failed (single LA wire setup)?  There just isn't enough information to go on here.

 

3rd lead

by ROBO Pop - 2018-10-02 13:22:26

The third lead on a CRT is not inserted into the left ventricle. It's fed in an artery on the back side of the left ventricle and never goes into the heart. The lead end is serpentine shape and It is held in place by spring tension against the artery wall.it is difficult to properly position so they invented a lead called a quadra whic has 4 contact points they can select from to get optimal performance. Surgical instsllation is not the norm for this procedure.

CRT Lead

by lefty2 - 2018-10-02 16:19:54

Thanks for your responses. 6 weeks ago, I had a CRT-D implanted because my EF was 33 and I had LBBB. The EP: could not place the 3rd wire through the cornary sinue vein since it was too narrow and twisted. I recently had the EP try again yesterday.. This time he went through the groin area to try to feed the wire and open up a flap that he saw was blocking his first attempt. He could not finish this because he said my veins were too narrow and almost formed a "web" around my heart.

He mentioned other options including surgery. He thought I should wait and  have a procedurte once I had symptoms (I am symptom free now). I just wondered from this group if anyone has had the 3rd wire place surgically and what the operation entailed. 

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