Holy Mackerel....what a smart idea.

Interventional cardiologist Ali Massumi, MD was the first physician in the U.S. to replace a pacemaker enclosed in a mesh envelope. The envelope, made of standard surgical mesh, is embedded with two antibiotic agents that provide site-specific antibiotic protection for the pacemaker, which is implanted just below the collarbone. This prevents the need for systemic antibiotics (taken orally). The device is made by TyRx Pharma, Inc., which recently received FDA approval.

“Pacemakers are placed in an area where there aren’t a lot of blood vessels, so systemic antibiotics may not reach the specific area. Replacing leads which run from the pacemaker to the heart can be quite difficult because of scarring in the area. These high risk patients are more prone to infection and obviously we want to avoid any infection to the heart,” said Dr. Massumi.

There is a picture of it too on the website!!! This mesh envelope also allows the surgeons to secure the pacemaker better and much more valuable information.

go to: www.texasheart.org

Pookie

 

 

Good website Pookie, though I wasn't able to find the article about the mesh envelope. Can you narrow it down some more, please?
Hope you are doing well.

joy

 

It's an excellent website indeed, and so very informative.
Joy1, to answer your question, once at the website, click on " about us, " then on " news and publications. "
There is the information you want.

~ Dominique ~

 

I'm not sure why this is necessary...I had some leads replaced and don't recall taking antibiotics. Can you explain more who would be a candidate for this?

 

People like me for instance, with valve disease among other things, need antibiotic protection whenever more or less invading procedures are done.
Any sort of bacteria that would enter my blood stream, and be carried to my heart, could result in endocarditis., an inflammation of the inner layer of the heart.

~ Dominique ~