Postoperative Infection with the Automatic Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator: Clinical Presentation and Use of the Gallium Scan in Diagnosis

This report describes three patients with infection involving an automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator. All three patients presented with fever, fluid in the pulse generator pocket, leukocytosis and an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. A gallium scan, together with aspiration and culture of the fluid from the pocket, confirmed the diagnosis in each case.