Goose Neck Snare for LV Lead Placement in Difficult Venous Anatomy

Venous anatomy frequently impairs placement of the left ventricular (LV) lead. In some cases, the wire will not advance into the vein and in others wire position is lost as the lead is advanced. This article describes how a commonly available goose neck snare is used to gain access to the distal end of the wire as it re-enters the coronary sinus retrograde via collaterals through an adjacent vein. The snare is advanced into the coronary sinus through the same catheter as the wire. The snare opens perpendicular to the long axis of the coronary sinus due to which the wire must pass through the open loop, provided the diameter of the snare is approximately the same as the coronary sinus. Thus no time-consuming manipulation of the snare is required. With access to both ends of the wire the vein is approached either retrograde (over the distal end) or antegrade (over the proximal end) while the other end of the wire is secured by the operator. Gaining control of both ends of the wire with a snare is another example of adapting interventional techniques for the device implantation. Unlike venoplasty, the snare does not evoke credentialing concerns and can be easily implemented by most implanting physicians.