Percutaneous treatment of superior vena cava obstruction following transvenous device implantation.

The aim of this study is to assess the feasibility and safety of percutaneous treatment of superior vena cava (SVC) obstruction following transvenous device implantation. SVC obstruction is an uncommon but serious complication that can occur following permanent pacemaker or cardioverter defibrillator implantation utilizing transvenous endocardial leads. The treatment has traditionally been surgical but with the advent of stents, percutaneous approach is becoming popular.

Effectiveness of early implantation of cardioverter defibrillator for postoperative ventricular tachyarrhythmia.

The effectiveness of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) implanted in the early postoperative period after cardiac surgery for ventricular tachyarrhythmias is unknown, because all of the major trials excluded this patient population. Thus, a 10-year retrospective study was conducted of patients who had ICDs implanted for de novo postoperative ventricular tachyarrhythmias during the index admission for cardiac surgery. There was a high rate of early recurrence of ventricular tachyarrhythmia treated by defibrillators, and this finding questions the exclusion of this important patient population from large trials.

Inappropriate sensing of pectoral myopotentials by an implantable cardioverter defibrillator system.

A case of inappropriate detection of pectoral myopotentials by an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) system due to inadvertent reversal of the high voltage pins in the ICD header is reported. Inappropriate high voltage connections can result in malfunction of both sensing and defibrillation functions of some ICDs.