Lead extraction follow up

• by chuck m
• 2010-08-01 01:08:55
• Complications
• 2098 views
• 1 comments

I posted July 1 about my upcoming extraction and reimplantation due to a pocket infection. Thought you all might like a real world example of what that was like. I've had my pacer for exactly 11 years and have almost no complications. I'm a very fit active 53 year old male. Extraction was Friday July 16, leads were very encapsulated in the veins, Dr described it as an "arduous task", surgery took over 4 hours and "somewhat" damaged the vein. The next Tuesday a PICC line was inserted in my left arm to aid in home infusion of antibiotics once I was released from the Cleveland Clinic. PICC line team had to call for backup because the line wouldn't go in right because of the vein damage from the extraction, but they eventually got it in. New pacer went in a few hours later with no issues. I was released the next day, Wednesday. Had a horrible night Wednesday night, it was over 90 degrees and our air conditioner is broken. Finally fell asleep about noon on Thursday. Woke up around 3 in the afternoon to find massive swelling in my left arm. Got to the emergency room ASAP and found out it was from a DVT, (deep vein thrombosis). ER put me on an IV blood thinner and transported me back to the Cleveland Clinic. The next morning both surgical sites were bulging out of my chest, a result of internal bleeding caused by the blood thinners. Spent the weekend at the Clinic and was released again on Monday. Stopped the home IV infusion of antibiotic Friday Night. Arm and the left surgical site are still swollen. The next big issue is getting the PICC line out. Usually that is a very routine procedure, but the vein was "somewhat" damaged from the lead extraction and that's the same vein where the DVT is. I'm seeing my General Practitioner on Monday (tomorrow) and hope to get the PICC line out soon. I've felt unusually good during all this, almost no pain. My wife let me drive yesterday, I took about an hour walk in the woods and felt great (it was a very slow walk). I've posted some photos on my facebook page.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=100000594169422