Cardiologist Fails To Remove Wire After Surgical Defibrillator Placement

ByVictoria Negron

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Updated onJanuary 12, 2022

Cardiologist Fails To Remove Wire After Surgical Defibrillator Placement

This case involves a middle-aged female patient with a history of chronic heart failure who presented to the hospital to have an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (CRT device) placed. During the surgery, the device placement was complicated by a wire that became disconnected from the insertion tube. After the operation, the patient began having extreme chest pain that worsened with breathing. She was treated with morphine but felt no relief. A chest x-ray revealed the patient had a widened mediastinum. Cardiothoracic surgery was consulted and the patient was taken for sternotomy. During surgery, the patient was found to have a wire in her heart membrane that had perforated into the pleural space and caused a collection of blood between her chest wall and lung.

Question(s) For Expert Witness

1. Please describe your background in cardiology.

2. How routinely do you treat patients like the one described above?

3. Have you ever published or lectured on this subject / issue?

Expert Witness Response E-063122

inline imageI'm a board-certified cardiac electrophysiologist and I implant CRT devices on a regular basis -- roughly 50 per year for the past 12 years. I lecture to cardiology fellows, residents, and medical students on the topic of CRT and device implantation. I have never seen an acute lead fracture or broken wire during a CRT case, as described in the case above. I have seen cardiac perforation and pericardial effusion during a pacemaker and/or ICD implant, but not related to a fractured or broken off piece of the device / lead hardware. That is quite unusual. I implant these devices regularly and I understand the indications for device implantation. I am aware of the known complications of device implantation and am familiar with managing complications due to device implantation. I have performed medical records review for cases in the past. Regarding this case, there are many other details that require review in order to fully understand the complication and how it was handled.

About the author

Victoria Negron

Victoria Negron

Victoria Negron has extensive experience in journalism and thought leadership in the legal space, with a background crafting content, whitepapers, webinars, and current event articles pertaining to the role of expert witnesses in complex litigation matters. She is a skilled professional specializing in B2B product marketing and content marketing. Currently, she serves as an Enterprise Product Marketing Manager at Postman, and previously held the position of Technical Product Marketing Manager at Palantir Technologies, where she developed her skills in launch strategies, go-to-market strategy, and competitive analysis.

Her expertise in content marketing was further refined during her tenure at the Expert Institute, where she progressed from a Marketing Writer to Senior Content Marketing Manager, and eventually to Associate Director of Content & Product Marketing. In these roles, she honed her abilities in digital marketing, SEO, content strategy, and thought leadership.

Educationally, Victoria holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Florida - Warrington College of Business and a Bachelor of Arts in Literature, Art, and Hispanic Studies from Hamilton College. Her diverse educational background and professional experience have equipped her with a robust skill set in product marketing, content development, and strategic marketing initiatives.

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