Successful removal of an infected pacemaker lead using cardiopulmonary bypass in an 89-year-old patient.

We report the case of an 89-year-old patient suffering from endocarditis with septicemia caused by a growth on a pacemaker lead. The entire pacemaker system was successfully removed using cardiopulmonary bypass. Although the patient was an octogenarian in poor condition with a systemic infection, an aggressive operation with careful perioperative management gave a good clinical result. As far as we know, this is the oldest patient in whom a pacemaker system has been removed using cardiopulmonary bypass.