Pacing and clinical electrophysiology : PACE
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Pacing Clin Electrophysiol · May 2008
Case ReportsLeft innominate vein aneurysm finding during pacemaker lead insertion.
Thoracic vein aneurysms are very rare vascular lesions, usually detected as incidental findings. We describe the case of a patient with an advanced atrioventricular block who underwent definitive pacemaker implantation. In order to explain the difficult advancement of a pacemaker lead, vein angiography was performed during the procedure and a large innominate vein aneurysm was observed. Successful lead placement was then performed without further complications.
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Pacing Clin Electrophysiol · May 2008
Deactivating implanted cardiac devices in terminally ill patients: practices and attitudes.
Clinicians may receive requests to deactivate pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) in terminally ill patients. ⋯ Deactivation of implanted cardiac devices in terminally ill patients is common. Practices and attitudes associated with pacemaker deactivation differ significantly from those associated with ICD deactivation. Professional groups should develop guidelines for managing requests for implanted cardiac device deactivation and should clarify the role of device industry representatives in these deactivations.