Automated Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator/Pacemaker Lead Fracture

Implanted artificial pacemakers are groundbreaking pieces of technology that have a vast array of medical benefits. However, as with other electronic devices, these implanted cardiac devices are not immune to failure. One of the most common failures are lead fractures, which can lead to conduction issues that result in inappropriate or insufficient electrical stimulation to the myocardium or other myocytes. The authors present a classic example of this type of artificial pacemaker failure, with the hospital course of a female patient presenting with erratic muscle contractions due to improper electrical impulse generation and conduction.