one lead not hooked up

hi all,

im new here, and thankful for this site,...its good to get  other patients opinions,...i have a 3 lead pacemaker, since 2015, and my dr, says almost time to change battery,....im very worried cause i had a huge hemotoma after implanted after open heart surgery for valve repair,because i went into complete heart block...but since then always wonder and ask if its ok that a third lead is not attached, my dr, kept trying to say there were only 2 leads, and i wonder if i would feel less sob, and fatigue from heart failure if the third was there also,....and are the updated pacemakers more efficient, can you change them?,....im getting a second opinion this week,....thank you

2 Comments

Third Lead

by Good Dog - 2022-08-22 20:43:45

I certainly understand your concern, because I always experience some worry and stress before they change-out my PM generator every 8 years or so. I am on my 3rd and about to get my 4th very soon. Really, I think that you can and should put the previous surgery and the hemotoma behind you now. Getting a new battery (generator) is actually a piece of cake. It is a pretty simple and quick in-and-out procedure. 

However, I do not understand what is going-on with your CRT and the third lead. If your Doc is telling you that you have only 2 leads, then somebody is confused? They should have given you a wallet card with the PM model and serial number when it was implanted. If you pull that out and check the model number you can google it and the Medtronic site will tell you exactly what kind of PM that you have. That card will also give you the model number and date of implant for each lead that you have. I am assuming that you are confused which is no big deal, but if your doctor is confused, that is a big deal. It seems to me that you likely know what you have based upon what you listed here on this site. That is a 3 lead CRT. So this second opinion this week is critically important so you can clear-up any confusion. Simply explain to the new Doc what is going-on and tell him that you need to know for sure what you have. Make sure you tell him the other doc told you that you have only two leads. I am unsure why you think the third lead is not connected and why the Doc told you that you have only 2 leads? There may be a reason, but I have no clue? So you need to find-out "for sure" this week at your 2nd opinion visit. 

Yes, pacemakers are always being improved over time.  So each time you get a battery change you get all the new features.

In any case, please post again after your doctor's visit this week and update us on what the situation is. I really want to hear back from you! There are a lot of folks here that can be helpful, but you are the only one that can clear-up the confusion over the leads.

I wish the best for you! 

Sincerely,

Dave

Wallet card

by AgentX86 - 2022-08-22 22:59:52

Not only does the wallet card have the pacemaker model and serial number but it also has the part numbers and serial numbers of your leads.  Count to three. 😉

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