[Pacemaker infection on the neonate with congenital heart disease]

A 6-day-old girl underwent pacemaker implantation for complete atrioventricular block through a subxiphoid incision. Epicardial leads were sutured on the right ventricle, and the pulse generator was buried in a subcutaneous pocket on the abdomen. After 3 days, the pacemaker site became infected. The whole pacing system was extracted immediately and replaced by temporary pacing leads. After the infection was controlled, a new pacemaker was implanted through a left thoracotomy during which an original Blalock-Taussig shunt was established. The new pulse generator was buried in a subcutaneous pocket in the left precordial area. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful, and there have been no signs of lead problems or re-infection. Using temporary pacing leads as a bridge to implant a new system and choosing a precordial subcutaneous pocket for the implantation site following suturing of the leads on the left ventricle through a left thoracotomy were useful in this case.