title: Right ventricular implantable cardioverter defibrillator lead implantation through a persistent left superior vena cava.
abstract: A 60-year-old woman required implantation of an ICD because of a hypotensive ventricular tachycardia refractory to four different antiarrhythmic drugs. Preoperative diagnostics revealed a persistent left SVC as the only major venous return from the upper part of the body to the heart. Under local anesthesia, a tripolar lead was advanced through the left SVC into the right ventricular apex. Following successful testing, an active can ICD device was implanted, which is functioning well during a follow-up period of 9 months.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Grosshadern Hospital, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Markewitz
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mattke
mesh_terms: D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000628:therapy*; D014683:Vena Cava, Superior / Q000002:abnormalities*