Objective     To study the common reasons of pacemaker bag erosion and its rational repair methods.      Methods       Basic data about pacemaker bad erosion in 12 patients

admitted to Southwest Hospital from January 1

2007 to March 31

2011

were retrospectively analyzed and its different repair methods were compared.      Results       The median age of 12 patients (7 males and 5 females) was 75.3 years. Of the 12 patients

11 were complicated by hypertension

heart failure and diabetes. Early and delayed pacemaker bag erosion was found in 3 and 9 patients

respectively. The patients were followed up for 31.6±6.8 months. A new pacemaker system was implanted in 8 patients

with the original pacemaker removed from 2 patients

and with the original electrodes and pacemaker deeply implanted into the affected greater pectoral muscle of 2 patients. The newly-implanted pacemaker functioned well. The original electrodes were not removed from the 12 patients. The skin was wounded by residual electrodes in subcutaneous and greater pectoral muscle of 6

4 and 2 patients

which was completely healed after treatment.      Conclusion       The reasons of pacemaker pocket erosion are quite complex. Local debridement and deep implantation of residual electrodes cam achieve a rather good outcome.