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Unintended Sequalae of Long-Term Transvenous Pacemaker Leads in a Patient With Congenital Heart Disease
Soyoung Cheon1,2, Muhammad Faateh1, Awais Ashfaq1
1Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
Insights
Long-term transvenous pacemaker use can cause rare complications, particularly in congenital heart disease patients. This case highlights a complex surgical lead extraction for superior vena cava syndrome due to prolonged pacemaker leads.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Cardiac Surgery
- Medical Device Complications
Background:
- Transvenous pacemakers are standard for symptomatic bradyarrhythmias.
- Long-term use can lead to serious complications, especially in congenital heart disease.
- Superior vena cava syndrome is a rare but significant risk.
Observation:
- A patient with congenital heart disease experienced superior vena cava syndrome.
- The syndrome was attributed to prolonged transvenous pacemaker leads.
- A complex surgical lead extraction was required.
Findings:
- Successful surgical lead extraction was performed.
- The procedure addressed the superior vena cava syndrome.
- This demonstrates a viable solution for lead-related complications.
Implications:
- Highlights the risks of long-term transvenous lead use in complex patients.
- Emphasizes the importance of specialized surgical expertise for lead extraction.
- Informs management strategies for pacemaker complications in congenital heart disease.
Abstract:
Long-term use of transvenous pacemakers, a common modality used for symptomatic bradyarrhythmias, can lead to rare but significant complications, especially in patients with congenital heart disease. We present a complex and challenging surgical lead extraction for a patient with long-standing superior vena cava syndrome resulting from prolonged transvenous leads.
