Extraction of old pacemaker leads remains a complex procedure owing to fibrotic encapsulation and lead adhesions. We report a case of extraction of 15-year-old pacemaker leads by weight and pulley method. A 81-year-old man presented with exposed pacemaker leads out of body with purulent discharge from a pacemaker insertion site. He inserted DDD (dual chamber pacing, dual chamber sensing dual function) pacemaker implantation 15 years ago for SSS. Previously pacemaker battery was removed 3 years ago due to recurrent infection of pacemaker scar site. We extracted the pacemaker leads by weight and pulley method successfully without any complications.
Kearns-Sayre syndrome (KSS) is a rare multisystem mitochondrial disorder associated with progressive external ophthalmoplegia, atypical pigmentary degeneration of the retina, and complete heart block. KSS can lead to a risk of sudden death because of the potential progression of conduction abnormalities such as right or left bundle branch block or complete atrioventricular (AV) block. Here we describe the case of a KSS patient with type I diabetes who experienced syncope in the presence of complete AV block, confirmed by muscular biopsy.