Pace maker

[boogerbird]

My husband was told he needed a pace maker, but was also told that if he got one, he couldn't stay on the liver transplant list.  Is this true?  It wasn't the transplant group that told him this, it was the doctor who had gone over his heart tests and who would be putting in his pace maker.  He is very upset and worried about this.  He's been on the liver transplant list for 7 years.

[Sweetwaterguy]

When my daughter was on a list for a combined pancreas/kidney transplant, she was assigned a contact at the hospital.  This person was likely a social worker whose job was to keep people informed and answer questions such as yours.  Perhaps there is a similar person you could talk to who knows the protocol.

[banglamom]

Best case scenario is liver today, pacer tomorrow.  Do check with the liver transplant team.  If his heart is giving him so much trouble that there is no option but the immediate pacer, there may be no option.  Can the cardiologist adjust meds to control the rhythms better?  Is this for just a back up because of pauses or sinus bradycardia.  If he needs a synchronization pacer for controlling heart failure... that's a whole other matter.  Take the questions to the transplant team and as a next step have the cardiologist talk to the transplant doc.  They have to be super selective about who gets to be on "the list" because the demand is so much greater than the supply.  I work where we have people on the heart transplant list.  There really can't have anything else wrong with them.  If they have to wait too long for the heart, eventually EVERTHING else GOES wrong because the heart supports it all.  Best to you both.  I hope it turns out well- soon.  Blessings.

[ireneo]

I honestly don't know. The people to ask would be his transplant team. They know the limitations - who qualifies and who doesn't. I would think a pacemaker would make him even more stable for such a major surgery. I hope he gets the liver soon.