Method for the rapid and atraumatic insertion of permanent endocardial pacemaker electrodes through the subclavian vein.

One hundred sixty-four permanent pacemaker implantations through the subclavian vein were accomplished by 17 different physicians at four institutions utilizing a specially constructed peel-away introducer. Fourteen attempts (8.3 percent) to cannulate the subclavian vein were unsuccessful. There were four cases of pneumothorax (2.4 percent) and two cases of hematoma formation (1.2 percent). The procedure has the advantage of a rapid and atraumatic insertion of a variety of transvenous pacemaker electrodes, and the avoidance of surgical dissection for a venous entrance site.