Failure of defibrillator paddle as mimic for subcutaneous patch lead during nonthoracotomy implantable cardioverter defibrillator lead configuration assessment.
It is a common, although virtually unsubstantiated, practice to assess the efficacy of nonthoracotomy lead systems for implantable cardioverter defibrillators using a defibrillator paddle as mimic for the subcutaneous patch lead. We report a case in which an adequate defibrillation threshold was documented with the nonthoracotomy lead system using a defibrillator paddle but not following implantation of the true subcutaneous patch lead. This case suggests that the substitution of a defibrillator paddle for the subcutaneous patch lead during nonthoracotomy lead system evaluation may have significant limitations in assessing lead configuration efficacy.
Pachulski
R T
RT
Cardiology Division, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
Kleiman
R B
RB
Josephson
M E
ME
Marchlinski
F E
FE
D000328:Adult; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000628:therapy*; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008722:Methods; D013908:Thoracotomy