A 56-yr-old man with aborted sudden cardiac death underwent implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implantation. While the ICD was being implanted, a left subclavian venogram failed to visualize the left subclavian vein, which was attributed to likely prolonged indwelling of the left subclavian sheath for venous access. Accordingly, the right subclavian vein was punctured and the ICD lead...

Transvenous lead extraction can be a method to regain venous access. We present the case of a man, aged 67, with indications to upgrade an ICD to a resynchronization therapy device. Since innominate vein occlusion was diagnosed and extraction of an abandoned ventricular pacing lead did not provide lumen regain, a functional atrial lead was extracted with the femoral approach to stabilization an...

Use of intravascular catheters for patient care may be associated with increased risk of central line–associated bloodstream infections. It is estimated that up to 18 000 such infections occurred in intensive care units and up to 23 000 in inpatient wards of acute care hospitals in the United States in 2009 [1]. These device-associated infections result in significant morbidity, mortality, and ...

Methods The PARTNERS HF (Program to Access and Review Trending Information and Evaluate Correlation to Symptoms in Patients With Heart Failure) was a prospective, multicenter observational study in patients receiving cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) implantable cardioverter-defibrillators. HF events were independently adjudicated. A combined HF device diagnostic algorithm was developed o...

Chronic extensive thrombosis of the venous system is a commonly encountered problem in end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients undergoing transvenous device implantation, lead extraction or lead revision. We describe a case of an ESRD patient with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) that failed to deliver therapy due to lead fracture. Patient needed revision of the ICD lead system, ...

Adriana Toro, Gaetano Bertino, Annalisa Ardiri, Isidoro Di Carlo Department of Surgery, Patti Hospital (ME), Patti; Hepatology Unit, Department of Medical and Pediatric Sciences, University of Catania, Catania; Department of Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies “G.F. Ingrassia”, University of Catania, Catania, Italy; Department of General Surgery, Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar Lett...