Subacute presentation of right ventricular perforation after pacemaker implantation.
We report an 87-year-old woman with right ventricular perforation due to a permanent pacemaker lead detected 4-days after implantation. The pacemaker lead was seen to perforate through the myocardium and pericardium and to reach the left pleural cavity. We removed the wire surgically by median sternotomy. The pericardial effusion was cloudy and yellowish, suggesting infection. However, no bacteria were detected by bacterial cultures of the pericardial effusion and pacing wire. The patient developed neither mediastinitis nor sepsis after the operation, and a new pacemaker was implanted safely one month later.
Department of Cardiac Surgery, Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
Sachi
S
Koyama
Keiichi
K
Itatani
Shunei
S
Kyo
Rie
R
Aoyama
Taizo
T
Ishiyama
Kazumasa
K
Harada
Minoru
M
Ono
D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020878:Device Removal; D005260:Female; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006335:Heart Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000293:injuries; D006801:Humans; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000209:etiology; D012804:Sick Sinus Syndrome / Q000628:therapy*; D056346:Sternotomy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome