Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine (Feb 2023)

Case report: An unusual case of phrenic nerve stimulation in a patient with single chamber implantable cardioverter defibrillator

  • Carlo De Innocentiis,
  • Pasquale Astore,
  • Angela Buonpane,
  • Antonia Pia Santamaria,
  • Francesco Patragnoni,
  • Matteo Santamaria

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2023.1088697
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10

Abstract

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BackgroundPhrenic nerve stimulation is a well-recognized complication related to cardiac implantable electronic devices, in particular with left ventricular coronary sinus pacing leads for cardiac resynchronization therapy.Case presentationWe report an unusual case of symptomatic phrenic nerve stimulation due to inadvertent placement of a right ventricular defibrillation lead in coronary sinus posterior branch in a patient with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction with a recently implanted single-chamber cardioverter defibrillator.DiscussionPhrenic nerve stimulation is a relatively common complication of left ventricular pacing. Inadvertent placement of a right ventricular lead in a coronary sinus branch is a rare but possible cause of phrenic nerve stimulation. Careful evaluation of intraprocedural fluoroscopic and electrocardiographic appearance of pacing and defibrillation leads during implantation may prevent inadvertent placement of a right ventricular lead in the coronary sinus.

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