Remote monitoring of implantable loop recorders can unmask asymptomatic device migration into the pleural cavity by detecting sudden and unexpected unstable R-wave amplitudes.
Remote monitoring fluctuations may flag ILR migration; this case leaves open its incidence and risk factors.
A 75-year-old man with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy underwent placement of a long-sensing vector implantable loop recorder (ILR) for unexplained syncope. One month later, ILR remote monitoring revealed unstable R-wave amplitudes ranging from very high (>1.9 mV) to very low (<0.2 mV) values. During an in-hospital clinic visit, the only site to establish communication with the ILR was the left posterior axillary area. Chest computed tomography confirmed ILR migration into the anterior costophrenic recess. The device was retrieved with forceps during video thoracoscopy without further complications. Learning objective: This is the first case report of migration of an implantable loop recorder diagnosed by remote monitoring.
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Russo et al. (2024) studied this question.
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