What are potential complications of transvenous pacemaker or AICD placement?
Potential complications of transvenous pacemaker/AICD placement include all of the complications of SGC, CVL, and PICC placement previously listed as well as hematoma or abscess formation around the generator pack; lead malpositioning, redundancy, tautness, dislodgment, migration, or fracture with or without embolism; twiddler’s syndrome; cardiac perforation; loss of pacing or cardioversion/defibrillation function; and induction of cardiac dysrhythmias.
Cardiac perforation by a lead should be suspected on a chest radiograph (particularly on the lateral view) if the lead extends beyond the margin of the cardiac silhouette.
