Can my ICD move?

ICDs are typically slightly larger than a pacemaker. If the device feels loose or wiggles in the pocket under the skin, report this to your healthcare provider. Excessive movement can cause a detachment of the generator from the wires, or the wires from the heart muscle, and the device will not work properly.
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Can an ICD become dislodged?

Complications That Can Occur After Surgery. Post-surgical complications of ICD therapy include: Lead complications, such as lead "dislodgement"(movement of the leads out of their proper position) or lead fracture.
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What can damage an ICD?

A blow to the chest near the pacemaker or ICD can affect its functioning.
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Can a pacemaker move position?

Answer: The position of a pacemaker can shift over time. After about a year, however, a strong capsule has formed around the device and it should not move any further. Because the device and the leads are very secure at this point, you can exercise without restrictions.
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Can an ICD be adjusted?

If you have an electrical storm, you should call 911 or seek emergency medical help to see if your ICD is working properly or if you're having irregular heartbeats. If necessary, the ICD can be adjusted to reduce the number and frequency of shocks.
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Pacemaker and Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator exercise precautions



What do I do if my ICD shocks me?

Call 911 or other emergency services right away if you feel bad or have symptoms like chest pain. Call your doctor soon if you feel fine right away after the shock. Your doctor may want to talk about the shock and schedule a follow-up visit.
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Can an ICD malfunction?

ICD malfunction

due to lead fracture). ICDs may not deliver appropriate pacing or shocks when needed because of factors such as lead or impulse generator migration, undersensing, an increase in pacing threshold due to fibrosis at the site of prior shocks, and battery depletion.
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Can a pacemaker become loose?

First described in 1968, refers to permanent malfunction of a pacemaker due to the patient's manipulation of the pulse generator. The patient, inadvertently or deliberately, turns and rotates the generator on its long axis and, because of traction, causes the lead displacement.
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What happens if my pacemaker moves?

If the device feels loose or wiggles in the pocket under the skin, report this to your healthcare provider. Excessive movement can cause a detachment of the generator from the wires, or the wires from the heart muscle, and the device will not work properly.
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How can you tell if a pacemaker lead is dislodged?

Patients with a lead fracture may present with symptoms of dizziness, syncope, chest discomfort, and palpitations or less commonly extracardiac symptoms like hiccups or maybe completely asymptomatic as in our patient. Diagnosis is often made by ECG and careful review of chest imaging such as chest X-ray or fluoroscopy.
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How do I know if my ICD is working?

The ICD is checked with a device called a programmer. When the programmer is held over the ICD, your doctor is able to tell if the ICD is working properly, how much power is left in the battery, and if the device has delivered therapy.
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What is the life expectancy of someone with an ICD?

Background: Manufacturers of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) promise a 5- to 9-year projected longevity; however, real-life data indicate otherwise.
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What causes a defibrillator to go off?

The majority of the time the defibrillators went off for the right reasons (ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation). But 41 percent of the shocks were because a device was fooled by a non-life-threatening arrhythmia, or because of a device malfunction.
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What happens if an ICD goes off?

If your ICD is turned off, it won't send a shock if you have a heart rhythm problem. You may die. If you change your mind, your ICD's shocking function can be turned back on at any time. Remember, leaving an ICD on does not guarantee that your heart rhythm will return to normal.
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Can you have an ICD removed?

Your surgeon will make an incision in your chest. He or she will remove all parts of the ICD. He or she may remove infected tissue or take a sample to test for the type of germ causing infection.
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How many shocks can an ICD deliver?

Sometimes, more than one shock is needed. An ICD is usually programmed to give a maximum of five to eight shocks for any one event. This picture shows the heart rhythm of a person with ventricular fibrillation. The ICD delivers an electrical shock to restore a normal heart rhythm.
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What does it feel like when pacemaker kicks in?

A: Most people will not have any sensation of the pacemaker under their skin. Immediately after the procedure, you will have some soreness in your upper chest where the pacemaker was implanted, but it should go away in time.
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What keeps a pacemaker in place?

The lead (or leads) is an insulated wire that is connected to the pulse generator on one end, with the other end placed inside one of the heart's chambers. The lead is almost always placed so that it runs through a large vein in the chest leading directly to the heart.
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Why is my pacemaker hurting?

The occurrence of pain and tenderness around a sterile pacemaker probably indicates contraction of scar tissue as the basis of the symptoms. This scar tissue is similar to that seen around other large inert implants placed in the thoracic tissue.
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How often do pacemaker leads dislodge?

2.1 Lead dislodgement

Pacing lead displacement and dislodgement is a relatively common problem and can occur in 5-10 % of the patients (National Pacemaker and ICD database, 2001). Historically, the most common complication of transvenous pacing has been lead dislodgement.
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What is the most common complication of defibrillator?

The major lead complications were insulation defects (56%), lead fractures (12%), loss of ventricular capture (11%), abnormal lead impedance (10%), and sensing failure (10%). Patients with lead defects were younger and more often female.
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How easy is it to dislodge pacemaker leads?

Abstract. The rate of dislodgement of atrial pacing leads is ∼3%. To solve this problem, reoperation and repositioning of these leads is one of the solutions.
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What does it feel like when your internal defibrillator goes off?

Some say it feels like a thump on the chest, while others compare it to being kicked in the chest. It is normal to feel apprehensive, but also remember that a defibrillating shock from an ICD can be lifesaving.
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What can't you do with an ICD?

Don't dangle headphones round your neck or within 3cm (1in) of your ICD. Don't put mobile or cordless phones, or MP3 players within 15cm (6in) of your ICD. Don't wear magnetic fasteners near your ICD. Don't use a TENS machine for pain relief, and keep electric-pulse body-toning tools below your stomach.
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What does it mean when your defibrillator vibrates?

Depending on the manufacturer and/or the programming of your device, your device may beep or vibrate. This may occur when the battery power is low, lead impedances are out of range or for other reasons. If the beeping/vibrating alarm turns on do the following: • Record the time you heard the beeping tones/vibration.
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