Surgeon Does Not Secure Leads During Pacemaker Placement

Case Overview

This case involves a forty-seven-year-old female who had a pacemaker installed when she was twenty-five-years-old. Approximately fifteen years following the placement of her pacemaker, there was a suspicion that the patient contracted an infection in the leads of the device. The treating surgeon decided to implant a new pacemaker, but he decided to leave the infected leads in place. About a year later, the patient had a scheduled back x-ray, and the imaging technician identified cardiac lead wires appearing out of place. This physician chose not to cap and suture the leads to the chest wall. The cardiothoracic surgeon suggested that no intervention was needed and said there was no reason to operate on the patient for this issue. During the months that followed, the patient developed significant hemodynamic flow complications and required corrective surgery. Following her treatment, the patient suffered from permanent vascular complications, which included intractable leg edema.