Hi,
I am a 40 y/o male, until 3 years ago I was a very active elite athlete when I had an ablation for PSVT and subsequent iatrogenic complete heart block, a pacemaker was implanted and I am paced nearly 100% of the time. A month ago I had my pacemaker and atrial lead changed due to an under-sensing problem. A day and half after the change I reported back to the hospital due tremendous pressure in my chest. After an echo it was determined that I was in tamponade and had a pericardial window and drainage tube placed two hours later. I stayed in the hospital for four days. Apparently what had happened was when the lead was extracted it left a tiny hole allowing fluid to collect, it was not noticeable at the time of surgery. The surgeon that performed the window had said that when he went in the hole had already closed up. I was discharged and sent home. I was told that I had atelectasis in the lower part of my left lung and told to use an inspiratory spirometer.

I continued to have a pain in my chest, right under the sternum and was given a ten course of Indocin. After the ten days I still had the pain, it was not alleviated at all. I was then told that it will go away on its own. I still continued to take ibuprofen and it still has not gone away. Now, seven weeks out from the surgery I still have this pain and it is worse when my heart rate goes up due to minimal exertion eg: carrying my daughter up the stairs. The pain coincides with each heart beat and feels like a lot of pressure behind my sternum, it also travels to my head. Upon release from the hospital and subsequent visits to the surgeons I have not had another echo or CT scan to see if there was still fluid around my heart.

Do you have any ideas as to what this I am feeling and when will it go away? What do I have to do? etc...

Thank you very much,
TG

Optional Information:
Person's Gender: Male
Person's Age: 40

Already Tried:
Indocin, Ibuprofen, rest