Successful defibrillator lead remnant extraction from right ventricle using a steerable transseptal sheath and a basket retriever

Abstract

We present a case of a 73-year-old man with implantable cardioverter-defibrillator pocket erosion and Staphylococcus aureus infection who was admitted to our hospital for lead extraction. During the mechanical extraction procedure, the 12-year-old lead broke and the distal coil was trapped in the right ventricle. After several attempts to grasp the coil using a femoral workstation and various snaring tools failed, a steerable transseptal sheath was placed into the right ventricle via the right femoral vein. The sheath allowed better positioning of the basket retriever and the lead remnant was successfully grasped and extracted with direct traction.