From Bradyarrhythmia to Embolism: A Rare Case of Acute Pulmonary Embolism Immediately Following Pacemaker Implantation

The global use of pacemakers has risen significantly, with the highest implantation rates in North America (712 per million) and the lowest in South Asia and the Asia Pacific regions (52 per million).1-3 However, pacemaker implantation is not without complications. An observational study conducted by Nowak et al. showed that the intra-hospital mortality following pacemaker implantation was up to 1.5%.4 Several pacemaker complications with the highest to lowest incidence include pocket hematoma, pericardial effusion, infection, lead dislodgement, pneumothorax, tamponade, and perforation.