Complications leading to surgical revision in implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients: comparison of patients with single-chamber, dual-chamber, and biventricular devices.
OBJECTIVE
Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) technology has become more complex, particularly with respect to biventricular resynchronization devices. The incidence of hardware-related complications in single (SC)-, dual (DC)-, and triple (BiV)-chamber devices requiring surgical revision has not been investigated systematically.


RESULTS
We analysed data from consecutive ICD recipients implanted between January 2000 and December 2007 with respect to the need of surgical re-intervention for device- or lead-related complications. Generator exchanges due to normal battery depletion were not considered. From 816 patients (81% male, 69% ischaemic cardiomyopathy, 48% secondary prevention ICDs) followed for 31 +/- 24 months (2118 cumulative patient-years), 98 patients underwent 110 revisions (5.2% per patient-year). Complications included lead-related revision procedures in 81 cases and generator-related problems in 29 cases. The annual incidence of surgical revision due to complications was 11.8% in BiV compared with 4.9% in SC and 4.1% in DC patients (P = 0.002). This higher revision rate was mainly caused by lead-related complications. Implantation of a BiV system was an independent risk factor of the need for surgical revision (relative risk 2.37, 95% confidence interval 1.38-4.04).


CONCLUSIONS
Even with long-lasting operator experience, complications requiring surgical revision remain a clinically important problem of ICD therapy. The incidence of complications is significantly higher in BiV resynchronization devices than in SC and DC systems.
Duray
Gabor Z
GZ
Division of Cardiology, Section Clinical Electrophysiology, Department of Medicine, J.W. Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt/Main, Germany.
Schmitt
Joern
J
Cicek-Hartvig
Sule
S
Hohnloser
Stefan H
SH
Israel
Carsten W
CW
D000368:Aged; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D020878:Device Removal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004868:Equipment Failure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies