Temporary Epicardial Pacing Wire Migration into the Right Heart, 10 Months after Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

Abstract

Migrations of retained temporary epicardial pacing wires (TEPWs) are rare and critical complications of cardiac surgery. A 73-year-old man who had received coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) with retained TEPW 10 months previously visited the outpatient clinic. In routine echocardiography, we observed an artificial structure in the right heart. We performed computed tomography (CT), identified TEPW in the right heart, confirmed the TEPW migration process by comparing it with previous CTs, and removed it via catheter intervention. We report this rare case because we identified TEPW in the heart, determined its migration process, and removed it without complications.