title: Late perforation of a right ventricular pacing lead: a potentially dangerous complication.
abstract: Four days after uncomplicated implantation of a two-chamber pacemaker and a normal postoperative course, a patient was referred to our hospital with left-sided hemothorax and early hemorrhagic shock. Chest X-ray and CT scan were suspicious of a right ventricular lead perforation with additional pericardial and pleural injury. Immediate surgery was performed via a lateral thoracotomy and the perforation was repaired via direct suture. An epimyocardial ventricular lead was implanted simultaneously. The patient made an uneventful recovery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Heart Center Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. thomas-schroeter@gmx.de
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schroeter
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Doll
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Borger
authors.forename: H V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Groesdonk
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Merk
authors.forename: F W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Mohr