ArticleJACC. Case reports2026
Retained Permanent Epicardial Pacemaker Leads and Lung Abscess: A Diagnostic and Surgical Challenge.
Article in JACC. Case reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Delayed Intrathoracic Textile Foreign Body Following Penetrating Shrapnel Injury Presenting with Expectoration of Fabric-Like Material and Chronic Middle-Lobe Destruction: A Case Report.International medical case reports journal · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundEpicardial pacemaker leads are used when transvenous access is contraindicated, but retained leads can rarely result in serious long-term complications. CASE SUMMARY: A 40-year-old male with intravenous drug use, tricuspid valve replacement, and prior epicardial pacemaker implantation presented with hemoptysis. Imaging revealed a left lower lobe lung abscess containing retained epicardial leads, left in situ after incomplete extraction years earlier. He underwent lobectomy and resection of infected leads. Postoperatively, he developed respiratory failure and arrhythmias requiring repeat epicardial pacemaker implantation, but ultimately recovered after rehabilitation. DISCUSSION: Lung abscess due to retained permanent epicardial leads is exceedingly rare. This case underscores diagnostic challenges, the morbidity of incomplete lead removal, and the importance of vigilance in patients with prior cardiac device history. TAKE-HOME MESSAGES: Retained permanent epicardial leads are not biologically inert and may predispose to severe infectious complications. Complete hardware extraction and long-term surveillance are critical.
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