Placement of an automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator in a 6-month-old infant: anesthetic management

Malignant arrhythmias secondary to a cardiac fibroma requiring transplantation in a teenager

We report a case of a 13-year old girl with a diagnosis of cardiac fibroma who was followed for a decade. Although she was predominantly asymptomatic over this time period, she eventually developed significant ventricular arrhythmias. The arrhythmias were originally treated with anti-arrhythmic medications along with an automatic internal cardioverter-defibrillator. However, a nearly fatal event prompted a cardiac transplantation. This represents a unique case of a patient with cardiac fibroma who was bridged to transplantation with an internal cardioverter-defibrillator.

ICD Implantation in infants and small children: the extracardiac technique

BACKGROUND

There is no clear methodology for implantation of an internal cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) in infants and small children. The aim of this study was to assess efficacy and safety of an extracardiac ICD implantation technique in pediatric patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

An extracardiac ICD system was implanted in eight patients (age: 0.3-8 years; body weight: 4-29 kg). Under fluoroscopic guidance a defibrillator lead was tunneled subcutaneously starting from the anterior axillar line along the course of the 6th rib until almost reaching the vertebral column. After a partial inferior sternotomy, bipolar steroid-eluting sensing and pacing leads were sutured to the atrial wall (n = 2) and to the anterior wall of the right ventricle (n = 8). The ICD device was implanted as "active can" in the upper abdomen. Sensing, pacing, and defibrillation thresholds (DFTs) as well as impedances were verified intraoperatively and 3 months later, respectively.

RESULTS

In seven of eight patients, intraoperative DFT between subcutaneous lead and device was <15 J. In the eighth patient ICD implantation was technically not feasible due to a DFT >20 J. During follow-up (mean 14.5 months) appropriate and effective ICD discharges were noted in two patients. DFT remained stable after 3 months in four of six patients retested. A revision was required in one patient due to lead migration and in another patient due to a lead break.

CONCLUSIONS

In infants and small children, extracardiac ICD implantation was technically feasible. Experience and follow-up are still limited. The course of the DFT is unknown, facing further growth of the patients.

Implantation of an "extracardiac" internal cardioverter defibrillator in a 6-month-old infant

In infants and small children, ICD implantation is a challenge due to technical limitations and a significant number of complications. This report describes ICD implantation in a 6-month-old infant (body weight 5.5 kg). A completely extracardiac defibrillation system was implanted using a transvenous lead subcutaneously in the back below the left scapula as the defibrillation electrode and an active-can device in the right upper abdomen. Defibrillation threshold of implantation was < or =10 J. During the follow-up of 3 months, 8 adequate ICD discharges were noted. The technique described seems feasible to facilitate ICD implantation in small infants.

Implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapy for life-threatening arrhythmias in young patients

OBJECTIVES

This study examined the indications, efficacy and outcomes of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) use in the pediatric population.

BACKGROUND

ICDs are first-line therapy for adults resuscitated from sudden cardiac death (SCD) or at high risk for life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. Use of ICDs in children and young adults is infrequent and there are few data regarding this group.

METHODS

We abstracted and analyzed data for all patients in whom ICDs were implanted.

RESULTS

A total of 38 devices were implanted in 27 patients. Age ranged from 6 to 26 years (mean, 14) and weight ranged from 16 to 124 kg (mean, 47). Diagnoses included long QT syndrome (9), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy [6], repaired congenital heart disease [5];, and idiopathic ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation [4]. Indications comprised resuscitated SCD [15], syncope [9], and life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia [3]. Initial device placement was infraclavicular in 13, abdominal in 13 and intrathoracic in 1. Epicardial leads were used with 5 systems. A single coil lead was used in 17. Seven patients, all previously resuscitated from SCD, experienced 88 appropriate successful discharges. There were 6 inappropriate discharges in 3 patients. Mean time to device replacement was 3.1 years (n = 11). Complications included 2 infected systems, 2 lead dislodgments, 2 lead fractures, 1 post-pericardiotomy syndrome, 1 adverse event with defibrillation threshold (DFT); testing, and 1 patient with psychiatric sequelae. No deaths occurred with implanted ICDs.

CONCLUSIONS

These data demonstrate that ICDs provide safe and effective therapy in young patients. The indications for ICDs as primary preventive therapy remain uncertain.