Table 2.
Catharina Hospital lead extraction experience from 1997 to June 2008.
| Patients | Technique | Complications | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | ICD | Traction or femoral workstation | Powered sheath | Acute surgery | Death | ||
| Laser | Mechanical dilator | ||||||
| 1997 | 10 | 2 | 8 | ||||
| 1998 | 24 | 3 | 2 | 22 | 1 | ||
| 1999 | 25 | 7 | 4 | 21 | 1 | ||
| 2000 | 28 | 7 | 11 | 17 | 2 | ||
| 2001 | 23 | 1 | 13 | 10 | 1 | ||
| 2002 | 27 | 1 | 10 | 17 | 6 | 2 | |
| 2003 | 24 | 3 | 17 | 7 | |||
| 2004 | 20 | 3 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 2 | |
| 2005 | 30 | 6 | 23 | 7 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2006 | 26 | 3 | 24 | 2 | |||
| 2007 | 42 | 4 | 40 | 2 | |||
| 2008 | 25 | 6 | 22 | 3 | 1 | ||
| Total | 304 | 44 | 181 | 118 | 5 | 18 | 5 |
All numbers refer to patients, not leads: a total of 602 leads were extracted in 304 patients, including 44 patients with an ICD lead. Traction=leads removed from the subpectoral area by simple traction or after insertion of a locking stylet. Femora=leads removed through a 16 F femoral workstation, generally with a Needle's eye retriever (Cook Medical, Bloomington, IN). Powered sheaths=if a powered sheath was used in any of the extracted leads, the patient was categorised as such. Laser=Excimer laser, Spectranetics, Colorado Springs, CO. Mechanical dilator sheath=Evolution, Cook Medical, Bloomington, IN. Acute surgery=all patients had acute surgery for pericardial tamponade or bleeding from caval vein laceration. Death=patients succumbing despite acute surgery. Note that all but one complication resulted from the use of powered sheaths.