title: Suicide by self-removal of a pacemaker.
abstract: A 70-year-old man extracted his own pacemaker and subclavian port used for delivery of chemotherapy, both implanted 2 weeks earlier. The patient died of septicemia within 6 days. This fatal outcome illustrates the risks of complications associated with severe psychiatric disorders after implantation of prosthetic devices.
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Cardiologique du Haut-LévAxêque, University of Bordeaux, Pessac, France. phibordier@aol.com
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bordier
authors.forename: Frederic
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Robert
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D012652:Self Mutilation; D013405:Suicide