title: Pacemaker implantation in patients with persistent left superior vena cava.
abstract: Implantation of a permanent pacemaker system is most commonly performed by puncturing the left subclavian vein and introducing the pacemaker lead(s) through the superior caval vein to the right atrium and/or ventricle. Occasionally, a persistent left superior caval vein is encountered peroperatively, complicating the procedure. This article describes three such patients and provides a review of the literature regarding one of the most common anomalies of the thoracic vessels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Nordland Hospital, N-8092 Bodø, Norway. knut.lappegard@nlsh.no
authors.forename: Knut Tore
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Lappegård
authors.forename: Jan F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Prytz
authors.forename: Bjørn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Haug
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D014683:Vena Cava, Superior / Q000002:abnormalities*