Skip to main content
NCBI home page
British Heart Journal logoLink to British Heart Journal
. 1985 Jul;54(1):76–79. doi: 10.1136/hrt.54.1.76

Functionless retained pacing leads in the cardiovascular system. A complication of pacemaker treatment.

F Zerbe, A Ponizyński, W Dyszkiewicz, A Ziemiański, T Dziegielewski, H Krug
PMCID: PMC481852  PMID: 3893487

Abstract

Twenty one patients with retained endocardial pacemaker leads were followed during a total observation period of 1097 months to assess the incidence of complications. Two patients developed thrombosis and occlusion of the superior vena cava, which was relieved by the development of a collateral venous circulation. In one patient the broken tip of the lead migrated to a pulmonary artery but did not cause overt complications. The remaining patients were free of symptoms. One patient died for reasons unconnected with pacemaker treatment. The good toleration of retained pacemaker leads by most patients indicates that major surgical procedures to remove the lead should be reserved for patients with life threatening complications, such as persistent infection or dangerous migration of the lead or both.

Full text

PDF
76

Images in this article

77Image
on p.77
77Image
on p.77
78Image
on p.78

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Balu J., Buysch K. H., Marx E., Seling A., Knieriem H. Throose der Vena subclavia nach tranvenöer Schrittmacherimplanation. Radiologe. 1971 Feb;11(2):50–53. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bilgutay A. M., Jensen N. K., Schmidt W. R., Garamella J. J., Lynch M. F. Incarceration of transvenous pacemaker electrode. Removal by traction. Am Heart J. 1969 Mar;77(3):377–379. doi: 10.1016/0002-8703(69)90195-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Blair T. P., Seibel J., Jr, Goodreau J., Groves R., Ashworth H. E., Baker W. P. Surgical relief of thrombotic superior vena cava obstruction caused by endocardial pacing catheter. Ann Thorac Surg. 1982 May;33(5):511–515. doi: 10.1016/s0003-4975(10)60796-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Crook B. R., Gishen P., Robinson C. R., Oram S. Occlusion of the subclavian vein associated with cephalic vein pacemaker electrodes. Br J Surg. 1977 May;64(5):329–331. doi: 10.1002/bjs.1800640508. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Fritz T., Richeson J. F., Fitzpatrick P., Wilson G. Venous obstruction. A potential complication of transvenous pacemaker electrodes. Chest. 1983 Mar;83(3):534–539. doi: 10.1378/chest.83.3.534. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Furman S., Escher D. J. Retained endocardial pacemaker electrodes. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 1968 May;55(5):737–740. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Furman S., Escher D. J., Solomon N. Experiences with myocardial and transvenous implanted cardiac pacemakers. Am J Cardiol. 1969 Jan;23(1):66–72. doi: 10.1016/0002-9149(69)90242-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Griepp R. B., Daily P. O., Shumway N. E. Subclavian-axillary vein thrombosis following implantation of a pacemaker catheter in the internal jugular vein. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 1970 Dec;60(6):889–892. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Imparato A. M., Kim G. E. Electrode complications in patients with permanent cardiac pacemakers. Ten years' experience. Arch Surg. 1972 Nov;105(5):705–710. doi: 10.1001/archsurg.1972.04180110030009. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Imparato A. M., Kim G. E. The trapped endocardial electrode. Removal by prolonged graded skin traction. Ann Thorac Surg. 1972 Dec;14(6):605–608. doi: 10.1016/s0003-4975(10)65271-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Krug H., Zerbe F. Major venous thrombosis: a complication of transvenous pacemaker electrodes. Br Heart J. 1980 Aug;44(2):158–161. doi: 10.1136/hrt.44.2.158. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Lagergren H., Johansson L., Schüller H., Kugelberg J., Bojs G., Alestig K., Linder E., Borst H. G., Schaudig A., Giebel O. 305 cases of permanent intravenous pacemaker treatment for Adams-Stokes syndrome. Surgery. 1966 Mar;59(3):494–497. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Pauletti M., Di Ricco G., Solfanelli S., Marini C., Contini C., Giuntini C. Venous obstruction in permanent pacemaker patients: an isotopic study. Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 1981 Jan;4(1):36–42. doi: 10.1111/j.1540-8159.1981.tb03672.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Ramo B. W., Peter R. H., Kong Y., Morris J. J., Jr Migration of a severed transvenous pacing catheter and its successful removal. Am J Cardiol. 1968 Dec;22(6):880–884. doi: 10.1016/0002-9149(68)90187-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Rettig G., Doenecke P., Sen S., Volkmer I., Bette L. Complications with retained transvenous pacemaker electrodes. Am Heart J. 1979 Nov;98(5):587–594. doi: 10.1016/0002-8703(79)90284-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Sethi G. K., Bhayana J. N., Scott S. M. Innominate venous thrombosis: a rare complication of transvenous pacemaker electrodes. Am Heart J. 1974 Jun;87(6):770–772. doi: 10.1016/0002-8703(74)90425-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Stoney W. S., Addlestone R. B., Alford W. C., Jr, Burrus G. R., Frist R. A., Thomas C. S., Jr The incidence of venous thrombosis following long-term transvenous pacing. Ann Thorac Surg. 1976 Aug;22(2):166–170. doi: 10.1016/s0003-4975(10)63980-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Theiss W., Wirtzfeld A. Pulmonary embolisation of retained transvenous pacemaker electrode. Br Heart J. 1977 Mar;39(3):326–329. doi: 10.1136/hrt.39.3.326. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Toumbouras M., Spanos P., Konstantaras C., Lazarides D. P. Inferior vena cava thrombosis due to migration of retained functionless pacemaker electrode. Chest. 1982 Dec;82(6):785–786. doi: 10.1378/chest.82.6.785. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Williams D. R., Demos N. J. Thrombosis of superior vena cava caused by pacemaker wire and managed with streptokinase. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 1974 Jul;68(1):134–137. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Williams E. H., Tyers G. F., Shaffer C. W. Symptomatic deep venous thrombosis of the arm associated with permanent transvenous pacing electrodes. Chest. 1978 May;73(5):613–615. doi: 10.1378/chest.73.5.613. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Heart Journal are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES