title: Lumenless pacing leads: performance and extraction in pediatrics and congenital heart disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pediatric and congenital heart disease (CHD) patients requiring permanent pacing present unique challenges, including need for long duration of implant, small size, and structural abnormalities. We report 6 years of experience with a novel 4.1-Fr lumenless pacing lead (model 3830, Medtronic Inc., Minneapolis, MN, USA) in this population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review of M3830 leads implanted at a pediatric center from 2005 to 2011. Data were compared to a population with a conventional pacing lead (model 1488, St. Jude Medical Inc., St. Paul, MN, USA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 193 patients with 198 model 3830 leads (125 atrial, 73 ventricular) were enrolled. CHD was present in 121 (63%). Age and weight at implant were 16.6 ± 8.5 years and 51.7 ± 23.5 kg, respectively. Length of follow-up was 26 ± 19 months (range 0-73). At implant, mean sensing and capture thresholds were good and remained stable over time. There were no significant differences in electrical performance compared to 101 leads in the comparison group. Implant complications were rare. Follow-up complications occurred in 4% of the M3830 leads and 16% of M1488 leads. Eleven M3830 leads required extraction. All were extracted without complications using only manual traction. There were three deaths in each group. One death in the M1488 group occurred during lead extraction. No other deaths were lead related.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  During up to 6 years of use in pediatric and CHD patients, the M3830 lead has demonstrated excellent efficacy, a low rate of complications, and straightforward extractability relative to traditional pacing leads.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Garnreiter
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Whitaker
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pilcher
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Etheridge
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Saarel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D020878:Device Removal; D004867:Equipment Design; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008875:Middle Aged; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: pacing; pediatrics