Leadless epicardial pacing at the left ventricular apex: an animal study.

Aims: State-of-the-art pacemaker implantation technique in infants and small children consists of pace/sense electrodes attached to the epicardium and a pulse generator in the abdominal wall with a significant rate of dysfunction during growth, mostly attributable to lead failure. In order to overcome lead-related problems, feasibility of epicardial implantation of a leadless pacemaker at the left ventricular apex in a growing animal model was studied.

Methods And Results: Ten lambs (median body weight 26.

Transvenous and non-transvenous implantable cardioverter-defibrillators in children, adolescents, and adults with congenital heart disease: who is at risk for appropriate and inappropriate shocks?

Aims: Non-transvenous implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) as used in small patients and in patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) have not been compared with transvenous systems with respect to safety and efficacy yet. Aim of the present study was to describe the prevalence of and to identify contributing factors for appropriate and inappropriate ICD discharges in patients with non-transvenous and transvenous ICD.

Methods And Results: Single centre analysis of all paediatric and CHD patients who had received an ICD since 1995.