slow to heal

on January 21st this year i had a new device installed Bi-Ventricular ACD. it was installed where my past single lead device was installed. to date it still has not completely healed. i started with glue that did not work at all. then they stapled me up that fixed about 3/4 of the incision. then they added some stiches and that got it down to a single spot about a 1/4 in long right in the middle. for that they gave me 2 "matress" stitches and i am about a week out. as you can see it has been a really slow healing.
Has anyone had a simular experience.
FYI my first surgery i healed in about 3 weeks.

4 Comments

Diabetes?

by bobad - 2009-03-23 03:03:06

halfatwin,

Are you diabetic? Diabetes or borderline diabetes can cause slow healing.

Did they take a blood culture before surgery? I think the latest thinking is that it's important. If you have any lurking bacteria, it could cause a frank infection, or slow healing at best.

Also, sensitivity to the metal or plastic in the pacemaker and leads can cause problems.

Are you having any pain in the pacemaker pocket?

Pain in the incision?

How about pus in the incision?

Scar Tissue?

by msn - 2009-03-23 05:03:23

I had a revision done on Jan 15th this year and it was my second surgery in only four months time. I had a lot of scar tissue to be removed and the healing was very slow. I am still sore where the first pacemeaker was placed anthe incision scar is still quite pink but healed and another keloid has formed again. You might ask about the amount of scar tissue that was removed if that might be a factor. Hang in there!

same thing happeninng to me

by skye - 2009-03-23 09:03:59

I had my biventricular pm replaced 1/22/09. been dealing with infection, wound that keeps opening, dissolvable stitches raising up through the open spot in incision, had them pulled twice, had glue, stitches, treated for infection for 4 weeks... first time healed in no time flat! this time, remains sore, huge bump with very prominent corner protruding... used same pocket both times... I had a keloid first time they removed it but that end of the incsion is fine, its the end furthest from armpit that is the issue... DR has no explaination... just has had me back EVERY week since surgery...

thank you for the ideas.

by halfatwin - 2009-03-24 08:03:46

Thanks all for the comments. i will check on the diabetes i know in the past it was checked and i was fine but that was a year ago and a completely different set of drugs. by the way so far, knock on wood, no infection thats good. i will also check on how much scar tissue was removed.

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