Pulsed Doppler echocardiographic detection of the origin of musical murmurs in a case of pacemaker implantation

Abstract

We report a case of systolic and diastolic musical murmurs that developed 4 years after DDD pacemaker implantation. Echocardiographic examination disclosed no evidence of serious pacemaker-related complications. Pulsed Doppler examination with a sample volume at the right ventricular portion of a pacemaker lead showed prominent harmonic signals. The timing of the signals was consistent with that of musical murmurs. We considered vibration of the pacemaker lead as a possible origin of the musical murmurs. Systolic and diastolic musical murmurs can develop without serious cause in a patient with a transvenous pacemaker. Pulsed Doppler examination was useful in detecting the origin of musical murmurs.