Central venous access resulting in selective failure of ICD defibrillation capacity

In a patient with a defibrillator system incorporating a lead with integrated bipolar sensing, physical contact between a guidewire (inserted for venous access) and the right ventricular defibrillation coil created sensing artefacts that triggered an inappropriate discharge. The presence of the guidewire in the heart during the discharge resulted in an electrical short with irreversible damage to the generator and rendered it incapable of delivering further high voltage therapy.