Clinical use of nonthoracotomy cardioversion-defibrillation system.
OBJECTIVE
To summarize our experience in 22 patients who had attempted nonthoracotomy implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) for malignant ventricular arrhythmias (VA).


METHODS
Indications for implantation were ventricular fibrillation (VF) in 17 patients and refractory ventricular tachycardia in 5. Thirteen patients of them had underlying ischaemic heart disease. Seven had dilated cardiomyopathy and two had arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia.


RESULTS
20 out of 22 patients were successfully implanted nonthoracotomic ICD with defibrillating threshold of 16.7 J. The mean hospital stay was 7.8 days. The complications included chest wall haematoma and ventricular lead dislodgment requiring repositioning. In the follow-up period of 10.1 +/- 8 months, 6 patients with VA were treated successfully by ICD.


CONCLUSIONS
Nonthoracotomy ICD is possible in a vast majority of patients (91%) and should be considered in all patients requiring ICD without concomitant surgery.
Hua
W
W
Fu Wai Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100037, China.
Vohra
J
J
Mond
H
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000628:therapy*