title: Upgrading patients with chronic defibrillator leads to a biventricular system and reducing patient risk: contralateral LV lead placement.
abstract: Increasing numbers of patients with indwelling single- or dual- chamber internal cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) will require upgrading of an existing system to a biventricular ICD providing cardiac resynchronization with back-up defibrillation. Upgrading, usually by the addition of a new left ventricular (LV) lead, can be technically challenging with central venous occlusion or stenosis often being the main obstacle to a successful procedure. We report a new technique of implanting a LV lead from the contralateral side to the existing ICD system to minimize the peri- and postoperative risk to the patient.
authors.affiliation: Manchester Heart Centre, Oxford Road, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester, UK. david.j.fox@talk21.com
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.forename: Sanjiv
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Petkar
authors.forename: Neil C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.forename: Adam P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Fitzpatrick
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial / Q000379:methods*; D020878:Device Removal; D004554:Electric Countershock / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D006352:Heart Ventricles; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D011379:Prognosis; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome