title: Progressive atrial lead perforation developed 5 years after pacemaker replacement.
abstract: This report describes an asymptomatic case of atrial lead perforation which developed 5 years after pacemaker implantation. Although retrospective findings of computed tomography showed a screw-in atiral lead had already perforated 9 months after the implantation, the lead protrusion on chest X-rays and pacing failure had not been noticed until another 3 years later. At first, this complication was managed conservatively, however, a lead perforation progressively developed and, as a result, open surgery was performed to remove the lead. We therefore should be aware of the potential occurrence of a progressive protrusion of a perforated lead.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, St. Mary's Hospital, Kurume, Japan. k-sadamatsu@umin.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sadamatsu
authors.forename: Naofumi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Enomoto
authors.forename: Miyako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsuji
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tashiro
mesh_terms: D020878:Device Removal; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000293:injuries*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012804:Sick Sinus Syndrome / Q000628:therapy; D013997:Time Factors