PLEURAL EFFUSION AFTER PACEMAKER IMPLATATION

PACEMAKER INDUCED PLEURAL EFFUSION:

A CASE REPORT:

Pleural effusion after open heart surgery is known but pace maker induced pleural effusion that too bilateral is rare. Here I report a case of diabetes with IHD developing bilateral pleural effusion (repeated) after pace maker was implanted on the left side of the chest wall.
VinitJ.SangnolP.etall in 2007 published a case of pleural effusion and unusual pericarditis after pace maker.
AshrithGuha, SaiMunjampalli in 2006 reported pleural effusion after pace maker implantation.
Our patient had repeated pleural tapping following implantation of pace maker on left side as there was problem of introducing the catheter on right side. Two week after the procedure he developed bilateral effusion.
All tests were negative for malignancy and tuberculosis. As the fluid was exudative he was given a course of anti TB drugs but he continued to accumulate fluids over a period of four months. He never recovered from it and died of LVF. Here I want to high light that one should keep in mind the problem associated with permanent pacing.