Explantation of implantable defibrillator leads using open heart surgery or percutaneous techniques

To remove failing or infected implantable cardioverter defibrillator leads, percutaneous techniques and open heart surgery are two common approaches. However, well-defined indications for either technique are not available. We summarize our experience with implantable cardioverter defibrillator system explantation using open heart surgery and percutaneous lead removal.

A total of 1,391 transvenously introduced implantable cardioverter defibrillator systems were implanted during the analyzed time interval from January 1995 to June 2005 in our institution. In 21 patients (1.5%), open heart surgery for implantable cardioverter defibrillator lead and generator explantation was applied (group A), and in 53 patients (3.8%), a percutaneous lead removal was possible (group B). The log-rank test was used to calculate differences in survival between both patient groups, and the Student's t test was applied for differences in nonlethal complications.

The 30-day, 6-month, 12-month, and 5-year survival rates were 91%, 91%, 81%, and 71%, respectively, for group A patients, and 100%, 100%, 94%, and 78%, respectively, for group B patients, which was not statistically different (p = 0.11). After open heart surgery, survival was comparable for cases with lead removal because of lead infection and those with lead malfunction (p = 0.28); however, patients with open heart surgery had a longer hospital stay (p = 0.03). Student's t test revealed no statistical difference in nonlethal complications between both patient groups (p = 0.37).

As open heart surgery yielded similar results with regard to survival and complications, implantable cardioverter defibrillator lead removal using extracorporeal circulation may be well justified as a last therapeutic option, eg, in case of large bacterial vegetations.