Medicolegal evaluation of the case of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) lead fracture due to domestic violence

Abstract

There has been an increase in sudden cardiac death in recent years. Lately, implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is a device which is used to prevent sudden cardiac death. Some problems may occur in the device as a result of trauma. Lead fracture constitutes one of these problems. In the literature, blunt trauma-related ICD complications, particularly lead fracture, seem to be very rare. In this case report, we evaluated a female patient who was exposed to a blunt trauma while getting pulled her left arm by her ex-husband and to some inappropriate shocks due to lead fracture, in medicolegal aspect. In case, a lead fracture occurred by pulling her left arm without chest trauma. It is aimed to take importance that even a mild violence might cause life-threating, severe clinical outcome.