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(Circulation. 2001;104:2533.)
© 2001 American Heart Association, Inc.

Clinical Investigation and Reports

Transvenous Biventricular Defibrillation Halves Energy Requirements in Patients

Christian Butter, MD; Eckhard Meisel, MD; Juergen Tebbenjohanns, MD; Lothar Engelmann, MD; Eckart Fleck, MD; Bernd Schubert, MD; Stephen Hahn, PhD; Dietrich Pfeiffer, MD

From Humboldt University and German Heart Institute, Berlin, Germany (C.B., E.F.); Heart and Circulation Center, Dresden, Germany (E.M.); Medical School, Hannover, Germany (J.T.); University Hospital, Leipzig, Germany (L.E., D.P.); and Guidant Corporation, St Paul, Minnesota, and Brussels, Belgium (B.S., S.H.).

Correspondence and reprint requests to Christian Butter, MD, Department of Internal Medicine/Cardiology, Charité, Campus Virchow Clinic, Humboldt University and German Heart Institute, D-13353 Berlin, Germany. E-mail christian.butter{at}charite.de

Background Defibrillation thresholds (DFT) with standard implantable cardioverter-defibrillator leads in the right ventricle (RV) may be determined by weak shock field intensity in the myocardium of the left ventricle (LV). Adding a shocking electrode in a coronary vein on the middle of the LV free wall, thereby establishing biventricular defibrillation, substantially reduced defibrillation requirements in animals. We investigated the feasibility of this approach in 24 patients receiving an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator using a prototype over-the-wire temporary LV defibrillation lead.

Methods and Results The LV lead was inserted through the coronary sinus, using a guide catheter and guidewire, into a posterior or lateral coronary vein whose location was determined by retrograde venography. Paired DFT testing compared a standard system (RV to superior vena cava plus can emulator [SVC+Can], 60% tilt biphasic shock) to a system including the LV lead. The biventricular system was tested with a dual-shock waveform (20% tilt monophasic shock from LVSVC+Can, then 60% tilt biphasic shock from RVSVC+Can). Twenty patients completed DFT testing. Venography and LV lead insertion time was 46±40 minutes. The biventricular system reduced mean DFT by 45% (8.9±1.1 J versus 4.9±0.5 J, P<0.001). Twelve patients (60%) had a standard system DFT 8 J, and the biventricular system gave a lower DFT in all patients. There were no adverse events related to the use of the LV lead, which was removed after testing.

Conclusions Internal defibrillation using a transvenously inserted LV lead is feasible, produces significantly lower DFTs, and seems safe under the conditions tested. Biventricular defibrillation may be a useful option for reducing DFTs or could be added to an LV pacing lead for heart failure.

Key Words: defibrillation • patients • veins