Transvenous Lead Extraction

Infection of cardiac implantable electric devices (CIEDs) is one of the major complications in patients with a CIED and its risk increases during a lifetime. Once the device is infected, lead extraction (LE) is always required for trouble-shooting. Then, transvenous LE has become more important since the number of CIED infection is growing up. For other cardiovascular complications such as tricuspid regurgitation, venous occlusion, thromboembolism and lead-related arrhythmia and for future problems such as risk of infection, too many leads and possibility of MRI, LE of non-infected leads is sometimes performed. However, these infected and non-infected situations to which the indication of LE is appropriated are still under-treated since not a few physicians believed that transvenous LE procedure is dangerous in spite of rapid advancement of LE technologies.

The goals of this session are to reveal how to prevent CIED infection, how to decide the LE indication, and how to perform safe and effective LE procedures. We hope to diminish the negative images regarding transvenous LE and to enhance the appropriate indications of LE.