Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 3, 2025
Translational Rabbit Model of Chronic Cardiac Pacing
Published on: January 6, 2023
Pacemaker lead rupture in a patient with subacute endocarditis: a case report
Lorenzo Caratti di Lanzacco1, Aurélien Wauters1,2
1Cardiology Department, Cliniques Universitaires St-Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Av. Hippocrate 10, 1200 Brussels, Belgium.
Cardiac implantable electronic device infections can cause lead endocarditis and rupture. In this case, a pacemaker lead fractured during a Streptococcus infection, highlighting the need for hardware removal over long-term antibiotics.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Medical Device Technology
Background:
- Cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) infections present significant morbidity and mortality risks.
- Simultaneous CIED lead endocarditis and lead rupture are rare complications.
Observation:
- A 73-year-old patient with a pacemaker developed Streptococcus sanguinis lead endocarditis and colon cancer.
- The patient experienced worsening sepsis despite prolonged antibiotic therapy.
- A chest X-ray incidentally revealed a complete ventricular lead rupture.
Findings:
- The patient exhibited pacemaker malfunction, including undersensing and loss of capture.
- Bacterial damage from lead infection may have contributed to lead fracture.
- Complete CIED hardware removal is crucial for managing CIED infections.
Implications:
- Long-term antibiotic therapy is not a substitute for device removal in CIED infections.
- Prompt hardware removal is the primary treatment for CIED-related infections.
- This case underscores the potential for lead structural failure secondary to infection.
More Related Videos
12:45Benefits of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in an Asynchronous Heart Failure Model Induced by Left Bundle Branch Ablation and Rapid Pacing
Published on: December 11, 2017
08:56Sterile Pericarditis in Aachener Minipigs As a Model for Atrial Myopathy and Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: September 24, 2021