Sudden Death Due to Thrombosis Associated with Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Electrodes

Jose Maria Frutos Perez; Marina Llopis Sanchis; Beatriz Moreno Torres; Andrea Esteve Villar Del Saz; Ana Ventura Esteve; Maria Angeles Martinez Pascual; Mariam Perea Ribis; Alba Camarena Molina; Leyre Jorquer Vidal; Gustavo Lobato Correia; Jose Manuel Querol Ribelles

doi:10.12890/2021_002247

Sudden Death Due to Thrombosis Associated with Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Electrodes

Eur J Case Rep Intern Med. 2021 Mar 8;8(3):002247. doi: 10.12890/2021_002247. eCollection 2021.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Internal Medicine, Hospital Francesc de Borja, Gandia, Valencia, Spain.
² Department of Anatomic Pathology, Hospital Francesc de Borja, Gandia, Valencia, Spain.
³ Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Pneumology, Hospital Francesc de Borja, Gandia, Valencia, Spain.

Abstract

Thrombosis associated with pacemaker leads is extremely rare, although the literature on this subject is scarce. A clinical case is reported, describing this condition and its clinical presentation, the complementary tests for establishing the diagnosis and the available therapeutic options.

Learning points: Thrombosis associated with pacemaker leads is extremely rare.The different causes that contribute to thrombosis all have Virchow's triad (blood stasis, endothelial injury/dysfunction and hypercoagulability) in common.Transthoracic and/or transoesophageal Doppler echocardiography is the gold standard for establishing the diagnosis, while the treatment options are anticoagulation, thrombolysis and surgical or endovascular embolectomy.

Keywords: Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator; sudden death; thrombosis.