Short-term implantation-related complications of cardiac rhythm management device therapy: a retrospective single-centre 1-year survey
Year: 2009
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the current short-term (<3 months) complication rate related to cardiac rhythm management (CRM) device implantations. METHODS AND RESULTS: We analysed data of the complications related to all CRM device implantations during 1 year (2006) in a tertiary referral university hospital. In 567 device implantations, pacing system upgrade procedures, or lead revisions, 78 complications occurred in 69 (12.2%) patients. Lead dislodgement, pocket haematoma or bleeding, pneumothorax, and infection were the most common accounting for >80% of all complications. The complication rate was more than twice as high in bradycardia pacemaker (PM) implantations performed by cardiology trainees (17.4%) than by experienced cardiologists (7.7%, P = 0.001). When performed by experienced cardiologists, the complication rate was not higher in implantations of more complex devices compared with that of bradycardia PMs. Fifty-two of the 69 patients needed additional surgical procedures. Altogether, the complications required 504 additional treatment days in hospital. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, our retrospective 1-year single-centre survey shows that short-term implantation-related complications of contemporary device therapy are still frequent, occur much more frequently by trainees than by cardiologists, require a large number of additional surgical procedures, and substantially prolong the hospital stay.
Source: EP Europace
Authors: S. Pakarinen, L. Oikarinen, L. Toivonen
Institution: Helsinki University Hospital
Language: English
Subfield: Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W1985100835