MethodS
Data was collected retrospectively for patients with a CRT-D implant between October 2008 – September 2017 from three centres. The follow-up duration was determined from implantation to either lead failure, patient death or end of study period. Implantation technique varied amongst the 12 operators. A minority of operators used venogram-guided lateral axillary access as the method of first choice. Cephalic cut down was preferred by most operators and has been reported previously (4). When this vessel was too small to allow access of all the leads, either the axillary or subclavian was used for the remainder. It was at the operator’s discretion to decide which lead to place by other routes of access.
Pacing interrogation was performed within 24 hours after implantation, at 6 weeks and subsequently at 6-month intervals. Patients with defibrillator leads implanted via the cephalic vein were categorised as the ‘cephalic’ group and patients in whom the defibrillator lead was implanted utilising the subclavian or axillary veins, were categorised as the ‘non-cephalic’ group.