My Pacemaker Is Starting to 'Exit' My Chest!!

Well, this is a frustrating and worrisome turn of events!

Some brief background:


This is my second pacemaker installation, and it was put in in 2003. My first was in 1995, when I was 36. For heart block. No cause was ever diagnosed: no sign of an unhealthy heart, heart attack, etc. Took forever to find the problem. The first pacemaker gave me not a single problem.

This second installation was rife with complications from the get-go. The first operation put it in very crookedly and for a couple of years after the operation that fixed it it all seemed fine.

But about a year ago, I noticed that the area around the pacemaker seemed to have swelled up as if filled with fluid. Soon after, I felt an edge of the pacemaker poking prominently just below the skin, and the area gradually darkened and dimpled like a bruise. Discomfort and needle-like pains became more and more common.

The situation today is, that there is a red dot of irritated skin where this sharp corner projects, and it feels as if it is just below the skin. I just know that it will someday soon break through at just this red dot! The entire area has a swelled bruised look as before, only more so.

Two specialists, a surgeon and a plastic surgeon, said told me to keep a watch on it and if it gets much worse to book an operation to have it placed on the other side of my chest. The plastic surgeon suggested that he can cobble something together, but it would disfigure the area as a consequence.

I was dissatisfied with both suggestions!

I'm from an underserviced area--Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario--and we are in the midst of a chronic doctor shortage crisis here. I don't trust any medical advice from these doofuses.

My very helpful and nice pacemaker clinic nurse suggested that I take myself straight to London Ontario to get a better resolution to this problem--advice I plan to follow.

What I want to know is:

Anyone else have this particular problem come up? If so, how did you deal with it? And what suggestions as to my future course of action does anyone have here?

I hate the situation this has put me in! I'm an active, athletic man in my mid-to-late forties, and this problem has completely sidelined me!

I'd LOVE some helpful feedback on this.

3 Comments

sub-pectoral

by turboz24 - 2008-02-22 12:02:28

They can relocate the implant to a sub-pectoral position to help prevent the issue you are having. I'm slightly concerned about my lead, since it presses pretty firmly against my skin and the skin over my implant isn't that thick (you can feel every ridge on the implant), but so far no redness, so on.
I had read that if it errupts, they usually consider the entire system contaminated and replace it, not to mention the mess it will leave if it does errupt.

Excellent responses!!

by truenorth - 2008-02-23 04:02:03

Thank you all for your wonderful feedback!

It has given me a sense of urgency that I perhaps haven't had till now, and I'm more determined than ever to get this done.

Pacemakers are a great thing for sure, but I personally can't wait for the day when they can simply go in with a laser and mess around with some cardiac nerves and solve this heart block problem that way! Who knows when that will happen, though I thought I read somewhere that they can do that with atrial fibrillation now, but I could be wrong.

At any rate, these PMs seem to be getting smaller and smaller and more unobtrusive, so maybe the latest generation of these will have fewer such issues.

I hope!

Pacemaker moved !! HELP

by kathy22 - 2008-03-31 09:03:17

I had three surgeries in 2000 ( incorrect pacemaker!!)and now have a Medrtonic (went to NYC) . My pacemaker displaced the end of Dec. It is now to the right of my arm pit. My cardiologist wanted me to wait about 6 weeks in hopes of the tissues around the pacemaker would heal. NO such luck - I am in severe pain and constant burning since the pouch has been distended!!
I am going to my cardiologist today and am so nervous since I do not know what can be done - Anyone had the same experience? Please Help Kathy

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