Heart Failure Support Group
Heart failure is a condition that can result from any structural or functional cardiac disorder that impairs the ability of the heart to fill with or pump a sufficient amount of blood throughout the body. It is often undiagnosed due to a lack of a universally agreed definition and difficulties in diagnosis, particularly when the condition is considered "mild."
Been a long road. Put in icd/pacemaker in mom on 6-4 got out 6-5. Er on 6-7 and lead perforation. The ER missed the lead perforation even with a CT to rule out a lung clot and 2 bouts of blood work that showed something was wrong.
Lead replacement on 6-11 out on 6-13. 6-17 infected. They removed the icd and leads 6-19 and she got pneumonia. She has a central line in her neck. A cardiac vest and oxygen. Daily iv antibiotics until 7-18 and wound care from the big hole from the removal.
She had her lung drained on 8-8 and they put her icd and pacemaker back in 9-10 on the right side of her chest. She will probably have to have her lung drained again but they are giving her a month to see if it improves.
They were unable to put in the 3rd lead coming from the right side of her chest so it is not resynchronizing her heart chambers. The anatomy just didn't work.
So the next option is to open her chest below her heart and attach the lead externally and change the pacemaker unit to take all 3 leads. Has anyone had this procedure. Her hospital stay will be a week not overnight.
We want to do what is best but this whole thing has been a nightmare. She doesn't have to do it right now and the research I've done isn't much more than a 5% increase possibly in helping her.
She had a cancer surgery in September and November 2012 that resulted in all the lymph nodes being removed from her groin.
Ya know...sometimes enough is enough. I would appreciate any experiences with this type of lead placement
Lead replacement on 6-11 out on 6-13. 6-17 infected. They removed the icd and leads 6-19 and she got pneumonia. She has a central line in her neck. A cardiac vest and oxygen. Daily iv antibiotics until 7-18 and wound care from the big hole from the removal.
She had her lung drained on 8-8 and they put her icd and pacemaker back in 9-10 on the right side of her chest. She will probably have to have her lung drained again but they are giving her a month to see if it improves.
They were unable to put in the 3rd lead coming from the right side of her chest so it is not resynchronizing her heart chambers. The anatomy just didn't work.
So the next option is to open her chest below her heart and attach the lead externally and change the pacemaker unit to take all 3 leads. Has anyone had this procedure. Her hospital stay will be a week not overnight.
We want to do what is best but this whole thing has been a nightmare. She doesn't have to do it right now and the research I've done isn't much more than a 5% increase possibly in helping her.
She had a cancer surgery in September and November 2012 that resulted in all the lymph nodes being removed from her groin.
Ya know...sometimes enough is enough. I would appreciate any experiences with this type of lead placement
I'd be more concerned about the number of issues that have arisen. You might want to consult an independent Electrophisiologist to get another opinion. This is a very common procedure (implant) and it sounds like amateur hour. Granted this does happen but is rare.
And while I think your 5 % number is a bit low, cardiac resynchronization devices are implanted far too often and do not benefit the patient. The number one this she should have to justify a CRT (3 lead device) is LBBB (Left bundle branch block. The device is used to force the ventricles to beat simultaneously improving the heart output (ejection fraction EF).
Good luck
Good luck