Transvenous lead extraction procedures have gained substantial clinical importance during the past decade. With current tools and techniques, high success rates in combination with low complication rates can be achieved by experienced centres. Even in experienced hands, life-threatening complications can occur, and every physician performing such procedures must be prepared for this scenario. This necessitates immediately available access to extracorporeal circulation, and if the operator is a cardiologist, cardiac surgical standby is mandatory.
Keywords: Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD); Lead extraction; Pacemaker.
© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.