Scar Erosion

Hi everyone,

I am hoping someone can share their experience of having their PM moved from below their collar bone to under their chest muscle.

I have recently had unexplained weight loss (was thin to begin with) which has caused the scar from my PM to erode. I have been experiencing increased pain and tenderness at the site and decided to call my EP's nurse yesterday. My EP had me come in today. I did not know that the PM could completely break through the skin and the potential complications. He is trying to schedule for the end of the week, beginning of next.

I am wondering what to expect and recovery. I am looking forward to a much more comfortable placement and being able to wear a bra with straps! (sorry guys)

Until then, no swimming, getting a sheepskin patch to protect the scar, and hope my kids are well behaved!

Take care,
Heidi

7 Comments

probably

by Tracey_E - 2010-11-10 01:11:04

Angelie's was done through the same incision but be sure to ask. It depends on where they put it the first time and how you're built.

AWESOME that you're having a plastic surgeon! That's how mine was buried also. A good plastic surgeon is like a magician!

I used a small-ish regular pillow and hugged it with my left arm when sleeping, kept me from rolling on my sore side and kept the weight of my breasts from pulling on the incision when on my back.

Hello there.

by Angelie - 2010-11-10 03:11:24

I have been summoned......LOL.

Hello there, I am Angelie......my EP's worst nightmare. HA!.

I'm a skinny youngin' that has had two pacemaker surgeries, 2 separate site infections, and one erosion all in ONE YEAR. Hooray.....

Yes, they use the same scar. My scar, bless it's heart, used to be only one inch long. Now after 4 surgeries, it's knarly looking but I don't care. I wear it proudly.

The doc does not cut the muscle. He simply lifts and separates the muscle with his finger and places it there. I'm not gonna lie, it hurt like hell. I was surprised how limited in motion I was. My husband had to help me get dressed. I could not move that arm at all, not even if I tried. It was like it was stuck or something. This alarmed me and scared me at first, but after the first week- it was much improved. By week 3, I was good as new, and able to lift my arm past shoulder level. I was relieved.

Once in a while, my pacer (or something in there) pinches me a bit. Not really a pinch per se, but it feels a little odd. I relax my shoulder and it goes away. Seems at times, the pacer gets moved in such a way that irritates the muscle a bit. This is very infrequent, and not even worth a mention to my doc. Compared to the problems I've had, this is a piece of cake.

Don't be surprised if it is still not "hidden" completely. Mine is under muscle, but you can still feel it. Thin body equals thin muscle. I didn't expect to ever feel it again, and that was a surprise. I also have a few wires that I can feel right around the scar line.

It will not hurt this bad at replacement time. That I did ask my doctor, cause I sure as heck would hate to go through that every battery change. Goodness gracious.

The IV catheter I had placed in my neck for the site infection hurt way worse than any pacer surgery I've ever had.

Using a sling might help your shoulder feel more comfortable for the first week. Gravity seemed to make my pacer site feel worse, and my site felt better with my arm at a 90 degree angle- just for the first few days. You will be very tender. Even walking hard, or really bouncey, hurt me a bit.

Let's see....what else?

Oh yeah, my rate response seems to be more of a issue now since I have mine under my muscle, but I have lots of other problems (electrical) that are contributing to that. I'd rather be a little bit high rate responsive than not being able to get my heart rate up at all. It's a catch 22.

I wish you all the best with your surgery, and recovery. Feel free to ask any questions. It's a good thing you're getting this dealt with before the site gets any worse. Trust me. Oh yeah, one thing the doctors didn't tell me about erosion is that once you have erosion once, you're 50 % more likely to have it recurr. So another great reason to get it under the muscle. It took me the 2nd erosion/ infection for them to move it.

I wish my pacer was in my butt or something. I've got plenty of "meat" down there, but not enough where it really matters for pacers. I just have all the luck.

Angelie

placement

by tcrabtree85 - 2010-11-10 03:11:37

Hi Heidi,
I had my pm moved to under muscle and had some issues with it sticking up on my still. I have a bigger chest and the dr didn't account for when wearing a bra.
My most recent is the mosy comfortable. My pm is placed right deep deep into my boob. I don't have any issue now with my weight changes or any discomfort.
I didn't really think recovery was that bad or differnt than the regular pm placement. The only thing I recommend is having a chest pillow. I get those squishy kind and that always seems to help.
I don't know if this helped any but I know the little pain that lasted a short time was worth it all in the long run. I will be thinking of you!
Blessings, Tammy

not bad

by Tracey_E - 2010-11-10 06:11:34

I haven't seen her on here in a while but Angelie had that exact surgery earlier this year. She was more sore than she expected for the first week or two but bounced back quickly.

I had mine buried the first time. I was sore longer than most but it was never bad enough to take more than Tylenol after the first couple of days. It took about two months before I had full range of motion with no pain. I don't have any problems carrying a backpack or with bra straps, etc. It's very comfortable and I am happy with it.

Ditto Tammy's pillow advice! I slept hugging a pillow. I'm not small chested and things kind of pulled when I lay down, hugging the pillow helped and kept me from rolling over on my sore side.

Good luck!!

Thanks!

by Heidiglassmeyer - 2010-11-10 12:11:45

I had been thinking about having my second PM relocated and was looking forward to the day, I guess it came sooner than later :). Had I found this site before my PM I would have been educated and asked for a deeper placement to begun with.

Tammy & Tracey, thank you for the info.
Hopefully Angie will read also. Pillow? Did you use just a regular pillow? When did you use it?

I guess the best part of all this is my EP's wife is a plastic surgeon! Her office called me today and I have an appointment this afternoon :). She will not only repair my PM scar but is also going to fix the ugly scar I have between my boobs (sorry) from where I had the implanted loop recorder pre PM! Hopefully after all this my chest won't look like a battlefield :).

Last question... I am assuming they use the same entry point and just go south and under the muscle? I was my EP's last appt yesterday and it was late so didn't want to bug him....and I knew you all could answer my questions probably better than he could lol!

Thanks again,
Heidi

Thanks Ladies!

by Heidiglassmeyer - 2010-11-11 01:11:31

You gals are great! Angelie, thank you! I also sent you a PM.

Went to the plastic surgeon this afternoon. I had to laugh to myself about how nice the office was and how beautiful all the peeps were that worked in the office. If only our EP's could have such a great environment! It was refreshing. Just sitting in the waiting room inspired me to have breast augmentation LOL! (something I would love to have)

Wen't in to see the Dr. and the nurse told me to leave my shirt on since she could see it if I just pulled my shirt down. After the Dr. looked at it she asked if she could take pictures of it. Hope I don't end up on her "before and after" advertising, HA! Anyway, we then had a nice conversation about how EP's/Cardio's do such a poor job placing PM in women. I could not stop thinking "your husband put mine in, maybe you should have a talk with him"!

We are planning on Monday so time to get the laundry done, grocery shop, and prepare for being down for a few days.

I did of course ensure that the placement would not interfere with my future implants LOL!

Thanks again for all the info!
Heidi

Helllooooo!!

by Superted25 - 2010-11-11 03:11:51

Hi ya 
I had my pacemaker repositioned on Tuesday. This was because a wire had slipped from underneath the pacemaker and decided to protrude quite a bit. They decided to reposition the wires and PM way down into the muscle. 

Just a few things to mention -it will
be sore, more so than before, but Angelie had a brilliant suggestion about using a pillow under the arm, it really does take away some of the pressure and strain caused from using the arm and muscle. I also keep my arm at 90degrees and had considered using a sling for a bit as any movement kills, it just takes the weight off! One thing to be prepared for is if you have had recent surgery then they may have to cut away scar tissue. They used the same insision as before but had to extend it slightly, and then they made an extra insision above, but I'm sure it will differ from person to person. I have to be honest though it is more painful than the normal implant, but that is because it's deeper and probably still sore from the last op. The physiologist told me that it could swell up in a few days and become bruised, and when things settle I could get sharp pain now and then because of so many raw nerve endings.

The way I feel is very similar to how Angelie felt, but its comforting to know it gets better. On the whole so far it is more painful and awkward, but in the long run at least you (and I) won't have to put up with bulging little aliens trying to get out! :0) 

Best wishes for your reposition surgery.  and a super speedy recovery :0) 
         

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I just want to share about the quality of life after my pacemaker, and hopefully increase awareness that lifestyles do not have to be drastically modified just because we are pacemaker recipients.