Nonthoracotomy implantable cardioverter defibrillator placement in children: use of subcutaneous array leads and abdominally placed implantable cardioverter defibrillators in children.
BACKGROUND
The need to access the right ventricle might preclude transvenous placement of a defibrillation lead at implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) placement, especially in small children or children with complex congenital heart defects. We investigated a subcutaneous array lead in addition to an abdominally placed "active can" ICD device in two children to avoid a thoracotomy.


RESULTS
The first child (age 12 years, 138 cm, 41 kg) had transposition of the great arteries with a subsequent surgical intra-atrial correction by the Mustard technique. The second child (age 14 years, 161 cm, 54 kg) had a single atrium and a single ventricle, d-transposition of the aorta, and atresia of the main pulmonary artery with a surgical anastomosis between the aorta and the right pulmonary artery by the Cooley technique. The defibrillation threshold was 18 J and <20 J at initial implantation and at generator replacement in the first patient and 20 J in the second patient. During follow-up of 6 years and 1 month, respectively, no ICD-related complications occurred.


CONCLUSIONS
In children in whom endocardial, right ventricular placement of a defibrillation lead is precluded, defibrillation is possible and safe between an abdominally placed "active can" ICD device and a subcutaneous array lead. This approach may avoid a thoracotomy in children with no possibility for transvenous ICD placement.
Gradaus
R
R
Department of Cardiology and Angiology, Westfälische Wilhelms-University, Münster, Germany. gradaus@uni-muenster.de
Hammel
D
D
Kotthoff
S
S
Böcker
D
D
D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D062109:Dermatologic Surgical Procedures; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D013908:Thoracotomy