The innominate vein as alternative venous access for complicated implantable cardioverter defibrillator revisions.
BACKGROUND
Venous complications of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) systems may cause significant problems when the need for system revision or upgrades arises. Such revisions require venous access close to the site of the previous ICD implantation. The internal and external jugular vein have disadvantages due to a long subcutaneous course crossing the clavicle and problems with lead extraction if infection occurs.


METHODS
In seven patients with ICD revisions due to lead dysfunction (n = 4) and upgrade to a biventricular device (n = 2) and status after system removal due to infection with new device implantation (n = 1) conventional venous access could not be obtained. Intraoperative contrast venography demonstrated an occluded left subclavian and/or left innominate vein in all patients. In all patients, we gained venous access through puncture of the right innominate vein and tunneled the new lead subcutaneously to the ICD pocket on the left.


RESULTS
No intraoperative complications were observed. All patients are followed in our ICD clinic. Mean follow-up is 16 +/- 4 months now. So far, no clinical or lead complications with this access have been observed.


CONCLUSIONS
We have demonstrated that ICD lead placement through puncture of the right innominate vein is feasible. We propose the innominate vein as an alternative route for establishing venous access in patients requiring ICD revisions or upgrades who suffer from venous obstruction. ICD implanting physicians should acquaint themselves with the technique of right innominate vein puncture to use this vein as a bail-out strategy in patients with complicated venous access.
Aleksic
Ivan
I
Departments of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, West-German Heart Center, Essen, Germany. kaleksic2002@yahoo.de
Kottenberg-Assenmacher
Eva
E
Kienbaum
Peter
P
Szabo
Andras K
AK
Sommer
Sebastian-Patrick
SP
Wieneke
Heiner
H
Yildirim
Cagatay
C
Leyh
Rainer G
RG
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016121:Brachiocephalic Veins; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable / Q000009:adverse effects*; D020878:Device Removal; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012086:Reoperation; D013908:Thoracotomy; D016896:Treatment Outcome