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Updated: Apr 26, 2026

High-Resolution Endocardial and Epicardial Optical Mapping in a Sheep Model of Stretch-Induced Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: July 29, 2011
Parasystole in a mahaim accessory pathway
Roopa Tekkatte1, Ahmed Hamoud2, Claire Warren2
1Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, United Kingdom.
Insights
Subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (S-ICDs) offer an alternative for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients at high risk of sudden cardiac death. However, this case highlights potential challenges with S-ICD lead placement and sensing in HCM.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Electrophysiology
- Medical Devices
Background:
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a significant risk factor for sudden cardiac death (SCD).
- Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators (ICDs) are used for primary and secondary prevention of SCD in HCM.
- Subcutaneous ICDs (S-ICDs) provide a leadless alternative to transvenous ICDs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report the use of S-ICD in a patient with HCM and multiple SCD risk factors.
- To describe complications encountered with S-ICD therapy in this specific patient population.
Main Methods:
- Case report detailing the implantation and subsequent management of an S-ICD in a patient with HCM.
- Analysis of device performance, including sensing parameters and shock delivery.
Main Results:
- The S-ICD required extraction due to recurrent inappropriate shocks.
- Inappropriate shocks were attributed to oversensing of atrial flutter.
- The S-ICD failed to treat a ventricular tachycardia (VT) episode.
Conclusions:
- This case highlights a potential limitation of S-ICD therapy in HCM patients related to oversensing.
- Atrial flutter oversensing causing inappropriate shocks with S-ICD has not been previously reported.
- Further investigation into S-ICD sensing characteristics in HCM patients is warranted.
Abstract:
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy's (HCM) association with sudden cardiac death is well recognised. The risk of sudden cardiac death is known to increase when there is a history of unexplained syncope, abnormal blood pressure response during exercise, severe left ventricular hypertrophy or a family history of unexplained death. Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) implantation has been widely used for primary and secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in people with HCM. Subcutaneous ICD (S-ICD) therapy has been developed to overcome some of the problems associated with the transvenous leads used in conventional ICDs. In this article, we report the use of S-ICD in a patient with HCM and multiple risk factors for sudden cardiac death, this device had to be extracted due to recurrent inappropriate shocks caused by over sensing of atrial flutter and failure to treat a VT episode. We are not aware of any reports of inappropriate shocks caused by atrial flutter in people with a S-ICD.
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