#2021021 - An Epicardial Pacing Lead

Arrhythmias are a known complication after cardiac surgery and represent a major cause of morbidity, increased length of hospital stay, and economic costs. The clinical significance of each arrhythmia depends upon its duration, ventricular response rate, underlying cardiac function, and comorbidities.

The current practice involves placement unipolar pacing wires in all patients undergoing surgery. It is commonly used for the diagnosis and treatment of arrhythmias in the acute post-operative period after surgery for cardio related disease. The temporary epicardial leads are removed just before the patient is discharged from the intensive care unit. However, the use thereof is not free from risk of epicardial pacing. Complications of epicardial wires include infection, myocardial damage, ventricular arrhythmias, perforation, and tamponade.

While temporary pacing leads are removed by gentle traction, ECG should be monitored (observing for arrhythmias) and the patient should be observed for a few hours after lead removal because of the risk of tamponade. Leaving the lead implanted for longer than a few days is in contrary to the labeling and manufacturing instructions thereof and may result in difficulty or inability to extract the lead and/or bleeding.

The invention discloses a new pacing lead that can be used e.g., in cardiac pacemakers and ICDs.