Fractured Lead

My ICD of 2007 started playing a tune 3 times today. Went to ED and the medtronics lead that was recalled a few years ago has now fractured. Has anyone had any exp in this procedure and also getting them to help pay the bills at hospital. Procedure will be done on Monday . etc.Thanks JC

6 Comments

fracture

by manaman - 2013-08-25 10:08:32

good luck on the procedure. Please let me know how it goes and what I can expect as I also have discovered that I have a metronics lead fracture in the ventrical (due for complete change in January/February and I think that they are going to try and wait it out until change before anything is done as I am not pacer dependent. Had my leads for nearly 20 years so suspect that they will go to the opposite side rather than try to remove damaged lead.
GZood luck and please let me know how it goes.
Cecil

Fractured lead FU

by JWC - 2013-08-26 01:08:02

We will know more in am. He is in hospital being monitored. Yes they turned off the ICD in the ED per repre advice.... but pacer is still on as he is dependent. There is only 2 docs at this hospital who can do a fractured lead removal. It was the weekend so things slowed down docs off. The plan is surgery in am to either bypass fractured lead and cap it off, or put in new leads .They wont know their plan until they review the vessels to see if they can handle lead etc. I am a RN so I am on top of this . He is still recovering from Pneumonia so if delayed will be to assure no infection left that might infect the new device. He may have to go home with a ICD vest if the procedure is delayed.
The med tech repre really knows more than anyone on what needs to happen etc. My own EP doctor and my cardiologist will be in am and they are excellent. I thin the docs covering over the weekend just did not have the expertise or comfort level to make decisions. I will let you guys know. I still have to deal with the money issue with Medtronics. JC and Wife

Deviced paged the on call physician

by JWC - 2013-08-26 01:08:07

I thought I would mention for those who don't know......I got a new device one year ago. at that time wires were fine and not replaced.
Once the music or tunes started my new device automatically paged the on call physician office on the weekend , and the doctor called us back asking why we had paged him. we never paged him, the device paged him...........That dam thing paged the doc 3 times over the weekend. The physician staff did not understand why it kept paging them. Seems a lot of education needed for nursing staff and physicians on these new devices. The paging was notifying the doctor that my device was failing. It is a good thing the nurse loaded up her spouse and went to the ED because this all seemed so strange. He is doing good. More in am. jc

Whew

by PacerRep - 2013-08-26 02:08:53

I was really concerned there for a second. Leavng the pacer on is fine, but that defib has to go off. It sounds like you have really competent docs.

Check your private message, I will send you some advice I don't want to put out for all eyes to see.

Did they shut it off?

by PacerRep - 2013-08-26 12:08:35

Please tell me they shut the defibrillator off until surgery? If you have a fracture and it's still on it's a ticking time bomb. I have seen a patient get shocked over 60 times in 90minutes.

The procedure will be basically identical (to you) as when you first got the device. Incision...sling...limited arm movement etc.

Manaman...If it is truely fractured you need to make them change it now, they can give you a new device early. I can't imagine for the life of me any doctor that thinks it's ok to wait 4 months with a fractured fidelis lead. Was it a tech that said to wait?

New ICD success

by JWC - 2013-08-28 06:08:49

Well, we did it. I had a fractured lead notification on Sat 8/24. After hearing the emergency alert sounds every 4 hours , I went to Ed. It was confirmed that recalled lead was fractured almost completely.
Just got home today. it all went very well. They did not have to remove the fractured lead, but caped and bypassed it and doctor replaced entire device which has a battery that should last 7 years by Medtronics. It was all very stressful and did not know till in the cath lab that lead extracti9on was not necessary and venogram was good so they cap off the bad lead . I will be getting new Care link machine for the undated model inserted. I am grateful that it all worked out and it was only the result of very competent EP physician who made all the right decisions. it was very stressful but we did it and I thank those who replyed and private emailed. me with support and help. Advice: make sure you have a home -link machine, and if you ever get sounds like " emergency vehicle sounds " or tunes q 4 hours get to the ED because this is a sign your lead is fracturing. I am grateful it all went well. Thanks to all of you and the beat goes on. JC and RN wife

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