title: Retrieval of the Leadless Cardiac Pacemaker: A Multicenter Experience.
abstract: Leadless cardiac pacemakers have emerged as a safe and effective alternative to conventional transvenous single-chamber ventricular pacemakers. Herein, we report a multicenter experience on the feasibility and safety of acute retrieval (<6 weeks) and chronic retrieval (>6 weeks) of the leadless cardiac pacemaker in humans.
  
  
  
  This study included patients enrolled in 3 multicenter trials, who received a leadless cardiac pacemaker implant and who subsequently underwent a device removal attempt. The overall leadless pacemaker retrieval success rate was 94%: for patients whose leadless cardiac pacemaker had been implanted for <6 weeks (acute retrieval cohort), complete retrieval was achieved in 100% (n=5/5); for those implanted for ≥ 6 weeks (chronic retrieval cohort), retrieval was achieved in 91% (n=10/11) of patients. The mean duration of time from implant to retrieval attempt was 346 days (range, 88-1188 days) in the chronic retrieval cohort, and nearly two thirds (n=7; 63%) had been implanted for >6 months before the retrieval attempt. There were no procedure-related adverse events at 30 days post retrieval procedure.
  
  
  
  This multicenter experience demonstrated the feasibility and safety of retrieving a chronically implanted single-chamber (right ventricle) active fixation leadless pacemaker.
  
  
  
  URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifiers: NCT02051972, NCT02030418, and NCT01700244.
authors.affiliation: From the Helmsley Center for Electrophysiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (V.Y.R., M.A.M.); Department of Cardiology, Amsterdam Medical Center, The Netherlands (R.E.K.); Department of Cardiology, Homolka Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic (V.Y.R., P.N.); Department of Cardiology, CHU, Grenoble, France (P.D.); Department of Cardiology, Schwarzwald Baar Klinikum, Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany (W.J.); Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, USC University Hospital, Los Angeles, CA (R.D.); Department of Cardiology, Sparrow Research, Lansing, MI (M.C.); Department of Cardiology, Inova Fairfax Hospital, VA (A.S.); Department of Cardiology, Sequoia Hospital, Redwood City, CA (R.H.M.); Department of Cardiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham (H.D.); Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City (D.L.); Division of Cardiology, Vancouver General Hospital, British Columbia, Canada (M.B.); and Department of Cardiology, Hospital Kerckhoff Klinik, Bad Nauheim, Germany (J.S.) vivek.reddy@mountsinai.org.
authors.forename: Vivek Y
authors.initials: VY
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.affiliation: From the Helmsley Center for Electrophysiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (V.Y.R., M.A.M.); Department of Cardiology, Amsterdam Medical Center, The Netherlands (R.E.K.); Department of Cardiology, Homolka Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic (V.Y.R., P.N.); Department of Cardiology, CHU, Grenoble, France (P.D.); Department of Cardiology, Schwarzwald Baar Klinikum, Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany (W.J.); Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, USC University Hospital, Los Angeles, CA (R.D.); Department of Cardiology, Sparrow Research, Lansing, MI (M.C.); Department of Cardiology, Inova Fairfax Hospital, VA (A.S.); Department of Cardiology, Sequoia Hospital, Redwood City, CA (R.H.M.); Department of Cardiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham (H.D.); Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City (D.L.); Division of Cardiology, Vancouver General Hospital, British Columbia, Canada (M.B.); and Department of Cardiology, Hospital Kerckhoff Klinik, Bad Nauheim, Germany (J.S.).
authors.forename: Marc A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: From the Helmsley Center for Electrophysiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (V.Y.R., M.A.M.); Department of Cardiology, Amsterdam Medical Center, The Netherlands (R.E.K.); Department of Cardiology, Homolka Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic (V.Y.R., P.N.); Department of Cardiology, CHU, Grenoble, France (P.D.); Department of Cardiology, Schwarzwald Baar Klinikum, Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany (W.J.); Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, USC University Hospital, Los Angeles, CA (R.D.); Department of Cardiology, Sparrow Research, Lansing, MI (M.C.); Department of Cardiology, Inova Fairfax Hospital, VA (A.S.); Department of Cardiology, Sequoia Hospital, Redwood City, CA (R.H.M.); Department of Cardiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham (H.D.); Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City (D.L.); Division of Cardiology, Vancouver General Hospital, British Columbia, Canada (M.B.); and Department of Cardiology, Hospital Kerckhoff Klinik, Bad Nauheim, Germany (J.S.).
authors.forename: Reinoud E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Knops
authors.affiliation: From the Helmsley Center for Electrophysiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (V.Y.R., M.A.M.); Department of Cardiology, Amsterdam Medical Center, The Netherlands (R.E.K.); Department of Cardiology, Homolka Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic (V.Y.R., P.N.); Department of Cardiology, CHU, Grenoble, France (P.D.); Department of Cardiology, Schwarzwald Baar Klinikum, Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany (W.J.); Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, USC University Hospital, Los Angeles, CA (R.D.); Department of Cardiology, Sparrow Research, Lansing, MI (M.C.); Department of Cardiology, Inova Fairfax Hospital, VA (A.S.); Department of Cardiology, Sequoia Hospital, Redwood City, CA (R.H.M.); Department of Cardiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham (H.D.); Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City (D.L.); Division of Cardiology, Vancouver General Hospital, British Columbia, Canada (M.B.); and Department of Cardiology, Hospital Kerckhoff Klinik, Bad Nauheim, Germany (J.S.).
authors.forename: Petr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Neuzil
authors.affiliation: From the Helmsley Center for Electrophysiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (V.Y.R., M.A.M.); Department of Cardiology, Amsterdam Medical Center, The Netherlands (R.E.K.); Department of Cardiology, Homolka Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic (V.Y.R., P.N.); Department of Cardiology, CHU, Grenoble, France (P.D.); Department of Cardiology, Schwarzwald Baar Klinikum, Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany (W.J.); Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, USC University Hospital, Los Angeles, CA (R.D.); Department of Cardiology, Sparrow Research, Lansing, MI (M.C.); Department of Cardiology, Inova Fairfax Hospital, VA (A.S.); Department of Cardiology, Sequoia Hospital, Redwood City, CA (R.H.M.); Department of Cardiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham (H.D.); Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City (D.L.); Division of Cardiology, Vancouver General Hospital, British Columbia, Canada (M.B.); and Department of Cardiology, Hospital Kerckhoff Klinik, Bad Nauheim, Germany (J.S.).
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Defaye
authors.affiliation: From the Helmsley Center for Electrophysiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (V.Y.R., M.A.M.); Department of Cardiology, Amsterdam Medical Center, The Netherlands (R.E.K.); Department of Cardiology, Homolka Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic (V.Y.R., P.N.); Department of Cardiology, CHU, Grenoble, France (P.D.); Department of Cardiology, Schwarzwald Baar Klinikum, Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany (W.J.); Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, USC University Hospital, Los Angeles, CA (R.D.); Department of Cardiology, Sparrow Research, Lansing, MI (M.C.); Department of Cardiology, Inova Fairfax Hospital, VA (A.S.); Department of Cardiology, Sequoia Hospital, Redwood City, CA (R.H.M.); Department of Cardiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham (H.D.); Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City (D.L.); Division of Cardiology, Vancouver General Hospital, British Columbia, Canada (M.B.); and Department of Cardiology, Hospital Kerckhoff Klinik, Bad Nauheim, Germany (J.S.).
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: From the Helmsley Center for Electrophysiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (V.Y.R., M.A.M.); Department of Cardiology, Amsterdam Medical Center, The Netherlands (R.E.K.); Department of Cardiology, Homolka Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic (V.Y.R., P.N.); Department of Cardiology, CHU, Grenoble, France (P.D.); Department of Cardiology, Schwarzwald Baar Klinikum, Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany (W.J.); Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, USC University Hospital, Los Angeles, CA (R.D.); Department of Cardiology, Sparrow Research, Lansing, MI (M.C.); Department of Cardiology, Inova Fairfax Hospital, VA (A.S.); Department of Cardiology, Sequoia Hospital, Redwood City, CA (R.H.M.); Department of Cardiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham (H.D.); Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City (D.L.); Division of Cardiology, Vancouver General Hospital, British Columbia, Canada (M.B.); and Department of Cardiology, Hospital Kerckhoff Klinik, Bad Nauheim, Germany (J.S.).
authors.forename: Rahul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Doshi
authors.affiliation: From the Helmsley Center for Electrophysiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (V.Y.R., M.A.M.); Department of Cardiology, Amsterdam Medical Center, The Netherlands (R.E.K.); Department of Cardiology, Homolka Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic (V.Y.R., P.N.); Department of Cardiology, CHU, Grenoble, France (P.D.); Department of Cardiology, Schwarzwald Baar Klinikum, Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany (W.J.); Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, USC University Hospital, Los Angeles, CA (R.D.); Department of Cardiology, Sparrow Research, Lansing, MI (M.C.); Department of Cardiology, Inova Fairfax Hospital, VA (A.S.); Department of Cardiology, Sequoia Hospital, Redwood City, CA (R.H.M.); Department of Cardiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham (H.D.); Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City (D.L.); Division of Cardiology, Vancouver General Hospital, British Columbia, Canada (M.B.); and Department of Cardiology, Hospital Kerckhoff Klinik, Bad Nauheim, Germany (J.S.).
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castellani
authors.affiliation: From the Helmsley Center for Electrophysiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (V.Y.R., M.A.M.); Department of Cardiology, Amsterdam Medical Center, The Netherlands (R.E.K.); Department of Cardiology, Homolka Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic (V.Y.R., P.N.); Department of Cardiology, CHU, Grenoble, France (P.D.); Department of Cardiology, Schwarzwald Baar Klinikum, Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany (W.J.); Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, USC University Hospital, Los Angeles, CA (R.D.); Department of Cardiology, Sparrow Research, Lansing, MI (M.C.); Department of Cardiology, Inova Fairfax Hospital, VA (A.S.); Department of Cardiology, Sequoia Hospital, Redwood City, CA (R.H.M.); Department of Cardiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham (H.D.); Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City (D.L.); Division of Cardiology, Vancouver General Hospital, British Columbia, Canada (M.B.); and Department of Cardiology, Hospital Kerckhoff Klinik, Bad Nauheim, Germany (J.S.).
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Strickberger
authors.affiliation: From the Helmsley Center for Electrophysiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (V.Y.R., M.A.M.); Department of Cardiology, Amsterdam Medical Center, The Netherlands (R.E.K.); Department of Cardiology, Homolka Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic (V.Y.R., P.N.); Department of Cardiology, CHU, Grenoble, France (P.D.); Department of Cardiology, Schwarzwald Baar Klinikum, Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany (W.J.); Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, USC University Hospital, Los Angeles, CA (R.D.); Department of Cardiology, Sparrow Research, Lansing, MI (M.C.); Department of Cardiology, Inova Fairfax Hospital, VA (A.S.); Department of Cardiology, Sequoia Hospital, Redwood City, CA (R.H.M.); Department of Cardiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham (H.D.); Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City (D.L.); Division of Cardiology, Vancouver General Hospital, British Columbia, Canada (M.B.); and Department of Cardiology, Hospital Kerckhoff Klinik, Bad Nauheim, Germany (J.S.).
authors.forename: R Hardwin
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Mead
authors.affiliation: From the Helmsley Center for Electrophysiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (V.Y.R., M.A.M.); Department of Cardiology, Amsterdam Medical Center, The Netherlands (R.E.K.); Department of Cardiology, Homolka Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic (V.Y.R., P.N.); Department of Cardiology, CHU, Grenoble, France (P.D.); Department of Cardiology, Schwarzwald Baar Klinikum, Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany (W.J.); Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, USC University Hospital, Los Angeles, CA (R.D.); Department of Cardiology, Sparrow Research, Lansing, MI (M.C.); Department of Cardiology, Inova Fairfax Hospital, VA (A.S.); Department of Cardiology, Sequoia Hospital, Redwood City, CA (R.H.M.); Department of Cardiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham (H.D.); Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City (D.L.); Division of Cardiology, Vancouver General Hospital, British Columbia, Canada (M.B.); and Department of Cardiology, Hospital Kerckhoff Klinik, Bad Nauheim, Germany (J.S.).
authors.forename: Harish
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Doppalapudi
authors.affiliation: From the Helmsley Center for Electrophysiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (V.Y.R., M.A.M.); Department of Cardiology, Amsterdam Medical Center, The Netherlands (R.E.K.); Department of Cardiology, Homolka Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic (V.Y.R., P.N.); Department of Cardiology, CHU, Grenoble, France (P.D.); Department of Cardiology, Schwarzwald Baar Klinikum, Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany (W.J.); Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, USC University Hospital, Los Angeles, CA (R.D.); Department of Cardiology, Sparrow Research, Lansing, MI (M.C.); Department of Cardiology, Inova Fairfax Hospital, VA (A.S.); Department of Cardiology, Sequoia Hospital, Redwood City, CA (R.H.M.); Department of Cardiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham (H.D.); Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City (D.L.); Division of Cardiology, Vancouver General Hospital, British Columbia, Canada (M.B.); and Department of Cardiology, Hospital Kerckhoff Klinik, Bad Nauheim, Germany (J.S.).
authors.forename: Dhanunjaya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lakkireddy
authors.affiliation: From the Helmsley Center for Electrophysiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (V.Y.R., M.A.M.); Department of Cardiology, Amsterdam Medical Center, The Netherlands (R.E.K.); Department of Cardiology, Homolka Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic (V.Y.R., P.N.); Department of Cardiology, CHU, Grenoble, France (P.D.); Department of Cardiology, Schwarzwald Baar Klinikum, Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany (W.J.); Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, USC University Hospital, Los Angeles, CA (R.D.); Department of Cardiology, Sparrow Research, Lansing, MI (M.C.); Department of Cardiology, Inova Fairfax Hospital, VA (A.S.); Department of Cardiology, Sequoia Hospital, Redwood City, CA (R.H.M.); Department of Cardiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham (H.D.); Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City (D.L.); Division of Cardiology, Vancouver General Hospital, British Columbia, Canada (M.B.); and Department of Cardiology, Hospital Kerckhoff Klinik, Bad Nauheim, Germany (J.S.).
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.affiliation: From the Helmsley Center for Electrophysiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY (V.Y.R., M.A.M.); Department of Cardiology, Amsterdam Medical Center, The Netherlands (R.E.K.); Department of Cardiology, Homolka Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic (V.Y.R., P.N.); Department of Cardiology, CHU, Grenoble, France (P.D.); Department of Cardiology, Schwarzwald Baar Klinikum, Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany (W.J.); Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, USC University Hospital, Los Angeles, CA (R.D.); Department of Cardiology, Sparrow Research, Lansing, MI (M.C.); Department of Cardiology, Inova Fairfax Hospital, VA (A.S.); Department of Cardiology, Sequoia Hospital, Redwood City, CA (R.H.M.); Department of Cardiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham (H.D.); Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City (D.L.); Division of Cardiology, Vancouver General Hospital, British Columbia, Canada (M.B.); and Department of Cardiology, Hospital Kerckhoff Klinik, Bad Nauheim, Germany (J.S.).
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sperzel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000628:therapy*; D020878:Device Removal; D004867:Equipment Design; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects*; D061214:Patient Safety; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: device removal; heart ventricles; humans; pacemaker, artificial; prostheses and implants