Erosive dermatitis is a skin reaction associated with implantable cardiac devices (ie, pacemakers and cardioverter defibrillators). We report a 65-year-old man with a history of several cerebrovascular attacks who developed an erythematous crusted erosive patch over the pacemaker site after implantation of two subsequent pacemakers. We suggest that physical irritation may be a trigger factor fo...

The Pacemaker Clinic at Shahid Rajai Cardiovascular Research Center first started operating in August 1992. In its first year of operation, 294 permanent pacemaker patients were studied, allowing an appraisal to be carried out of the clinic's effectiveness in diagnosing and treating early complications. In the final analysis, pacemaker complications were observed in 68 (23%) patients, of wh...

Transoesophageal echocardiography identified a pacemaker lead infection in a patient in whom transthoracic echocardiography was negative and there were no specific signs of skin inflammation over the pulse generator.

A 76-yr-old man with unipolar ventricular pacemaker, previously implanted in the right ventricular apex, presented with syncopal attack and twitching of the right pectoralis muscle. He finally was diagnosed as having Twiddler's syndrome. The patient had a pulse rate of 36/min and cannon waves in the neck veins. Chest radiography showed a dislodged pacing lead completely wrapped around the pulse...

Pacemaker infection has multiple risk factors. Its presentation is most often similar to infected endocarditis and the diagnosis is made through studying blood cultures. Transesophageal echocardiography can confirm the diagnosis. The most common microorganisms are staphylococcus speciesis. As a matter of fact, complete pacemaker removal appears to be the only definite treatment. We presented a ...