Cardiac strangulation: Two-dimensional echo recognition of a rare complication of epicardial pacemaker therapy

Abstract Permanent epicardial pacemaker therapy is occasionally required in newborn infants for congenital complete heart block and in young infants for surgically acquired heart block. 1,2 In addition to the usual concerns encountered in any age group, such as lead fracture, pacemaker dysfunction, pericardial effusion and infection, 3–5 infants present the additional problem of requiring an adequate length of wire to allow for growth. We report an unusual complication of pacemaker therapy in a newborn: cardiac strangulation.