CLINICAL SURVEILLANCE OF AN ACTIVE FIXATION, BIPOLAR, POLYURETHANE INSULATED PACING LEAD .2. THE VENTRICULAR LEAD

Since 1989, 72 Telectronics 330-201 active fixation, polyurethane insu lated ventricular leads (Accufix) have been implanted at the Mayo Clin ic. There were four (5.6%) acute lead related complications (perforati on, microdislodgment, and macrodislodgment), three of which led to ear ly reoperation. Over a follow-up time of up to 2.7 years (median 9.4 m onths), there were six (8.3%) chronic lead related complications but n o failures of lead material. Most of these complications developed dur ing the first month, and half of them were transient, with documented improvement later. Two patients (2.8%) required reoperation for chroni c complications. At follow-up examination of the pacing thresholds, us ually performed about 3 months after implantation, 14.3% of the examin ed patients had high pacing thresholds necessitating high-output progr amming. The mechanisms and later evolution of this phenomenon should b e further evaluated.