Key result
Extravascular ICD implantation enables safe return to sport at ~3 months in a powerlifter.
Why the study?
Traditional transvenous ICDs carry risks such as lead failure, infection, or dislodgement, which pose additional concerns for competitive and recreational athletes with high activity levels.
Case Report (n=1)
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
The EV-ICD serves as a viable secondary prevention alternative for athletes who are not candidates for transvenous or subcutaneous ICDs, potentially allowing safe return to high-intensity sports such as powerlifting.
Implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs) reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death in high-risk populations1, but traditional transvenous devices carry additional risks for certain patients.2 These risks can include venous obstruction, lead failure, and/or infection (e.g., pocket infection, bacteremia, endocarditis) that might require lead extraction and another implant procedure.3 Competitive and recreational athletes face additional risks with transvenous devices given their higher level activity and associated risk for lead injury or dislodgement.
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Earle et al. (2025) conducted a case report in Ventricular fibrillation arrest and severe non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (n=1). Extravascular implantable cardiac defibrillator (EV-ICD) was evaluated on Clinical events and return to sport at 3 months. An extravascular implantable cardiac defibrillator was successfully implanted in a professional powerlifter, allowing a return to sport at 3 months with no clinical events or inappropriate shocks.
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