A transvenous implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) was implanted in
a patient with drug refractory ventricular fibrillation who had undergone
latissimus dorsi cardiomyoplasty. The skeletal muscle was stimulated by a p
ulse train generator (cardiostimulator) implanted at the time of cardiomyop
lasty. With proper programming of the devices neither adverse ICD-cardiosti
mulator interactions nor device malfunction were observed. Thus, the combin
ed implantation of a cardiostimulator and an ICD is a feasible and safe the
rapeutic option. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved
.