Use of Tissue Expanders for Breast Reconstruction and Pacemakers?

I am a medical librarian trying to find the answer to a question for one of our physicians. He is asking me to find information on the use of tissue expanders for breast reconstruction in women who have pacemakers. I can't find anything in PubMed or Google. I have asked a couple of manufactures, but I don't know if they will reply. Do you know where I can get information about this? Thanks.

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pacemaker tissue expander

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4 Doctor Answers | Asked by Marilyn777410

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Breast tissue expanders and pacemakers information. Be careful

It is not common knowledge and not known by many plastic surgeons but breast tissue expanders are contraindicated in patients with pacemakers because the metal port contains a magnetic field which can interfere with the function of the pacemaker. I believe the manufacturer's call this a "rare earth magnet." You can find this information if you go to the manufacturer's website and look for directions for use and/or product warning or safety label. I attached the... more

Pacemaker and tissue expanders

Usually with a pacemaker, the main issue is in the operating room and using the bovie cautery. Often the pacemeaker is shut off by the cardiogist and the patient is paced in the operating room in a different way. I do not know of any problems specifically once the expander is in and needs to be expanded.

Steven Wallach, MD

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Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Pacemaker and expander

To the best of my knowledge, there is no contraindication. My concern is more the reason for the pacemaker and to make sure this is done in the appropriate setting with anesthesia having seen the patient well in advance and a cardiology clearance as well. Usually the expanders are much lower than the pacemaker and should not cause a mechanical problem.

Pace maker and surgery

That is a question to the cardiologist and what is the condition the necessetated the pacemaker. In some conditions the rep. for the pacemaker company will be present before surgery is started and they can stop the pace maker, then reactivate it at the end of surgery. The other possibility is not use electrocautery (which interferes with the pacemaker), and use Bipolar elecrocautery. Or use the harmonic scalpel instead of electrocautery. Depending on the device pacemaker or pace... more