Turning Off the Pacemaker During Thyroid Surgery

I will be undergoing thyroid surgery in a couple of weeks.  During the preop meeting, they indicated that they plan to switch off the pacemaker for the duration of the surgery,

Is this normal practice? and has any one information about such a procedure?

Thanks

Chas

1 Comments

Electrocautery is the concern

by Grateful Heart - 2018-02-07 12:06:20

Obviously, the thyroid is in close proximity to your PM.  You want to have a discussion with the anesthesiologist before the surgery as to where they will put the ground plate....away from your PM on the opposite side of your body.  Mine wanted to put the plate on my back...right behind my device??  I firmly said no and told her to put it on the opposite side of my hip surgery (lower back/ butt)....away from my CRT-D.  She agreed.     

It's been a while since I spoke about this on this site.  Some say they have had no problems with surgery.  One mother said her child's PM shorted out after an appendix surgery and needed to be replaced (So another surgery).

You (your Cardio) should request a rep from Boston Scientific be on site to program the device into safe mode before the surgery and then check the device and return the settings to the proper mode after the surgery.  This has been a challenge for me as they show up and suggest just using a magnet to "shut off" the device because they want to leave.  I had to speak up right before surgery (at a time when you don't need the extra stress) to tell him he had to stay and recheck/ reset the device after surgery.  Last time I told my Cardio and Nurse about it and the rep showed up and stayed the whole time.....no confrontation.  Apparently they were read the riot act.

Electrocautery can change the device settings as well, which is why they need to check it afterwards.  It's your heart....you are your best advocate....and hopefully your Cardio.

Donr can shed a lot of light on this.

Here is a link from BS.

https://www.bostonscientific.com/content/dam/bostonscientific/quality/education-resources/english/ACL_Electrocautery_and_Implantable_Device_Systems_061908.pdf    

Good luck with your surgery.  Keep us posted.

Grateful Heart

You know you're wired when...

Your device makes you win at the slot machines.

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