ICD Leads Extraction and Clearing of Access Way in a Patient With Superior Vena Cava Syndrome: Building A Tunnel

Central vein disease is defined as at least 50% narrowing up to total occlusion of central veins of the thorax including superior vena cava, brachiocephalic, subclavian, and internal jugular vein. Thrombosis due to intravascular leads occurs in approximately 30% to 45% of patients early or late after implantation of a pacemaker by transvenous access. In this case, we report a male patient, 65-years old, hypertensive, type 2 diabetic, with atherosclerotic disease, coronary artery disease, underwent coronary artery bypass surgery in the past 10 years, having already experienced an acute myocardial infarction, bearer automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator for 8 years after an episode of aborted sudden death due to ischemic cardiomyopathy, presenting left superior vena cava syndrome. The use of clopidogrel and rivaroxaban for over a year had no benefit on symptoms improvement. After atrial and ventricular leads extraction, a new shock lead was positioned in the right ventricle using active fixation and a new atrial lead was positioned in the right atrium, passing inside of the stents. Two days after the procedure the patient was asymptomatic and was discharged.