Transvenous Lead Extraction of Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices Indications, Complications and Outcome: An...

The growing needs to extract cardiovascular implantable electronic devices warrants the need to improve the outcome and prevent complications.

This study aims to analyse the findings and identify factors associated with complications of Percutaneous Transvenous Lead Extraction in the Critical Care Department, Cairo University.

We studied 52 candidates for Percutaneous Transvenous Lead extraction of a Permanent Pace Maker (PPM) regarding extraction indications, comorbidities, device type, complications and outcome. Extraction was first attempted by simple manual traction using regular non-locking stylet and if failed, locking stylet, and evolution dilator sheath were used.

We extracted 110 leads with a mean lead age of 4.67 ± 3.6 years. The most common extraction indication was an infection (71.15%). Indications correlated significantly with comorbidities (p = 0.024), the most common being Diabetes Mellitus (40.38%). Simple traction was successful in 31 % of the leads, while 69% were extracted using locking stylet and evolution dilator sheath. The method of lead extraction correlated significantly with lead age (P ≤ 0.001). Complications were significantly higher with extraction by evolution dilator sheaths than by simple traction (P = 0.003) and in older patients (P = 0.008). Complications also correlated significantly with extractions indications (p = 0.012), type of PPM (P = 0.037), number of extracted leads (P = 0.041), and lead age (p= 0.011).

Among the studied variables, extraction indications particularly infection, was the only preventable factor significantly associated with complications. While focusing on preventable factors, improving, implantation and extraction techniques should also be addressed.