THE RETROPECTORAL TRANSAXILLARY PERMANENT PACEMAKER - DESCRIPTION OF A TECHNIQUE FOR PERCUTANEOUS IMPLANTATION OF AN INVISIBLE DEVICE

This report describes a percutaneous, transaxillary approach for impla nting permanent pacemakers in the retropectoral space. This approach w as used in 17 patients; indications for the procedure included the nee d to find a new implantation site in patients with injections and mult iple previous pacemaker pocket sites (2 patients), emaciation and abse nce of sufficient adipose tissue (4 patients), and cosmetic considerat ions (11 patients). No complications were encountered during the impla ntation and the results were uniformly excellent in all patients. The pacemaker was ''invisible'' in each case. We conclude that a percutane ous approach for implanting permanent pacemakers in the retropectoral region is safe and feasible. This approach is likely to the applicable to the implantation of transvenous antitachycardia devices.