[Reasons for pacing leads abandonment during pacemaker replacement: a single center experience with 235 cases].

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the reasons for pacing lead abandonment during pacemaker replacement.

METHOD

Clinical data of patients underwent permanent pacemaker replacement between Jan 1st, 1976 to Dec 31st 2006 in Fuwai Hospital were obtained and the reasons for pacing leads abandonment were analyzed.

RESULTS

Pacemaker was replaced in 1023 patients during this period and 235 pacing leads were abandoned, 131 leads (55.7%) were abandoned for leads malfunction, including leads body fracture (35, 14.9%), isolation defects (10, 4.3%), dislocations (10, 4.3%) and excessively high threshold values (76, 32.3%). Other reasons for leads abandonment were infection (50, 21.3%), incompatibility between the leads and new generator (30, 12.8%), need to degrade the pacing system (13, 5.5%) and other rare reasons (11, 4.7%).

CONCLUSION

The most often reason for leads abandonment during pacemaker replacement is lead malfunction, including lead body fracture, isolation defect, dislocation and excessively high threshold value of the leads.