title: Cardiac strangulation from epicardial pacemaker: early recognition and prevention.
abstract: Cardiac strangulation from epicardial pacemaker leads is a rare event that can be difficult to recognise and can cause serious complications such as cardiac failure or death. We describe a 3-year-old girl who received an epicardial pacing system as a neonate for complete congenital cardiac block and developed cardiac strangulation from the leads. The clinical presentation modes are reviewed and technical aspects for lead and generator positioning are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Heart Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alhuzaimi
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: Walter J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Duncan
mesh_terms: D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D002675:Child, Preschool; D020878:Device Removal / Q000379:methods*; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted / Q000009:adverse effects; D004630:Emergencies; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006327:Heart Block / Q000151:congenital* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000601:surgery; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects*; D035583:Rare Diseases; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013908:Thoracotomy / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome