Pacemaker Pocket Erosion: A Critical Issue Requiring Immediate Attention

Cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), including pacemakers, implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICD), and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices, regulate heart rate and rhythm in patients with cardiac conditions. With an aging population, CIED-related complications, especially pacemaker pocket infections, are rising. Risk factors include frailty, older age, and superficial device fixation, while risk mitigation involves larger pocket sizes, submuscular fixation, and absorbable antibacterial envelopes. The debate continues regarding the optimal timing for device removal and lead extraction. This report presents a case of a 77-year-old male with a history of atrial fibrillation and prior methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) bacteremia, who was admitted with infection symptoms and a pacemaker erosion. Blood and wound cultures confirmed MSSA and the patient underwent successful lead and device extraction. He was treated with daptomycin and discharged two days after admission with close follow-up by infectious disease, cardiology, and wound care specialists. The case emphasizes the importance of timely intervention in CIED infections, highlighting occult bacteremia where no infection source is identified. Early removal, particularly within one day of presentation, led to a favorable outcome. Simple lead extraction was chosen because the device had been in place for less than a year, and age and comorbidities did not influence the decision. In the prior MSSA bacteremia episode, early lead and generator extraction might have prevented the second admission, reinforcing the value of early intervention. These findings underscore the need for vigilant monitoring and suggest that future guidelines could benefit from stratifying lead and device removal strategies based on implantation timing to enhance patient outcomes.