Infectious Endocarditis as a Complication in Permanent CardiacStimulation Resulting in the Need to Surgical Extraction of the Stimulating Lead

Overview

Case report describes a patient with permanent pacemaker (implanted in childhood) who has developed infectiousendocarditis with bacterial vegetation on the stimulation electrode while no febrile condition occurred and laboratorytests showed no inflammation. The course of the disease was affected by the previous inappropriate outpatienttreatment of an infection in the suture after the pacemaker exchange. It should be noted that echocardiographicexamination was essential for both the diagnostics and the choice of strategy. The therapeutic approach consisted ofthe combination of long-term antibiotic therapy and the explantation of the infected stimulation system. As it wasnot possible to accomplish by endovasal methods only, cardiosurgery for extraction of the lead was chosen.

Key words:
permanent pacemaker, infection, echocardiography, extraction.