Transesophageal three-dimensional echocardiography improves the safety of transvenous extraction of pacemaker and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator leads – preliminary report

This article demonstrates the echocardiographic method to assess the placement of pacemaker and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator leads in the vicinity of the superior vena cava as a way to increase the safety of transvenous lead extraction (TLE). Three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography was performed in 3 patients during TLE with the use of the Specranetics Excimer Laser device. We assessed the following parameters: lead adherence to the lateral wall of the vessel and lead movement. This method increased the safety of the performed TLE.