Successful removal of a severed transvenous pacemaker electrode.
The ease and simplicity of the transvenous approach to permanent pacing continue to be among its greatest advantages. However in a small proportion of transvenously paced patients complications can occur. A rare complication is an incompletely removed pacing catheter with subsequent embolization to more central parts of the cardiovascular system. This communication reports the migration of a severed transvenous pacemaker electrode and its removal from the left iliac vein with a femoral-ventricular pigtail catheter.
D000368:Aged; D002404:Catheterization; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000628:therapy*; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration; D006801:Humans; D007084:Iliac Vein; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects*