Insufficient procedural anticoagulation during leadless pacing led to catheter-related thrombosis in a hemodialysis patient

BMC Cardiovasc Disord. 2021 Oct 18;21(1):502. doi: 10.1186/s12872-021-02318-6.

Abstract

Background: Leadless pacemaker was a promising innovation than traditional transvenous pacemaker, the procedural complications were prone to be bleeding-related. However, very few reports also concerned about the thrombus formation during the procedure.

Case presentation: A hemodialysis patient with diabetic gangrene of right foot suffered from catheter-related thrombosis during leadless pacing, resulting in failure of recapture the pacemaker. A low activated clotting time (ACT) level of 104 s confirmed the insufficiency of anticoagulation. Finally, the whole delivery catheter had to be removed from the delivery sheath, another new pacemaker system was applied and successfully implanted after adjusting the ACT level to 248 s.

Conclusion: Catheter-related thrombosis could be a large obstacle for leadless pacemaker implantation. In addition to routine anticoagulation, ACT monitoring might be necessary during the procedure.

Keywords: Anticoagulant; Case report; Hemodialysis; Leadless pacemaker; Thrombosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Video-Audio Media

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Anticoagulants / administration & dosage*
  • Atrial Fibrillation / blood
  • Atrial Fibrillation / diagnosis
  • Atrial Fibrillation / therapy*
  • Blood Coagulation / drug effects
  • Cardiac Pacing, Artificial*
  • Catheter Obstruction / etiology*
  • Catheterization / adverse effects*
  • Catheterization / instrumentation
  • Catheters / adverse effects*
  • Drug Monitoring
  • Equipment Design
  • Humans
  • Kidney Failure, Chronic / blood
  • Kidney Failure, Chronic / diagnosis
  • Kidney Failure, Chronic / therapy*
  • Male
  • Pacemaker, Artificial*
  • Renal Dialysis*
  • Thrombosis / blood
  • Thrombosis / diagnosis
  • Thrombosis / etiology*
  • Thrombosis / prevention & control
  • Whole Blood Coagulation Time

Substances

  • Anticoagulants