title: Implantation of submammary implantable cardioverter defibrillators.
abstract: Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) are routinely placed in the left pectoral area using a transvenous approach. This approach may result in poor cosmetic outcome and cause psychological problems, especially in younger patients. To avoid this, several alternative implantation techniques have been developed. For cosmetic reasons, we used a submammary technique to implant ICDs into three young women. Apart from defibrillation threshold testing, the procedures were performed under local anesthesia. Threshold testing was done under general anesthesia. Appropriate defibrillation thresholds were obtained in all three cases, and all the patients tolerated the procedure well. There were no complications in a mean of 22 months of follow-up, and the cosmetic results were very good.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Başkent University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. bozin@trnet
authors.forename: Bülent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ozin
authors.forename: Hüseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Borman
authors.forename: Hüseyun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bozbaş
authors.forename: Ilyas
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Atar
authors.forename: Mehmet Emin
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Korkmaz
authors.forename: Haldun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Müderrisoglu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019571:Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia / Q000628:therapy*; D001940:Breast / Q000601:surgery*; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004954:Esthetics; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008133:Long QT Syndrome / Q000628:therapy*; D010369:Pectoralis Muscles / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome