Why the study?
Can endocardial defibrillation leads be removed using catheterization techniques or locking stylets to avoid thoracotomy?
Can endocardial defibrillation leads be removed using catheterization techniques or locking stylets to avoid thoracotomy?
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Endocardial defibrillation leads can be successfully removed using catheterization techniques or locking stylets, similar to pacemaker leads, thereby avoiding thoracotomy.
Two patients, each with an endocardial defibrillation lead system (Endotak O62), required lead removal; one because of chronic lead infection and the second because of spurious shocks caused by lead insulation damage. Neither lead could be removed by simple traction. The defective lead was removed by a combination of catheterization techniques including a steerable ablation catheter and traction, both under general anesthesia. The lead with the insulation defect was rapidly removed with a locking stylet, suggesting that endocardial lead defibrillating leads can be removed similarly to pacemaker leads, thus avoid thoracotomy.
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Jordaens et al. (1996) studied this question.
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