Usefulness of a lead delivery system consisting of a fixed-shaped sheath and a lumenless bipolar lead in a patient with absent right and persistent left superior vena cava: A case report

We report the case of an 84-year-old female with symptomatic bradycardia due to a complete atrioventricular block, who carried absent right and persistent left superior vena cava (SVC). Implantation of a pacing lead, particularly within the right ventricle (RV) in a patient with this venous anomaly is accompanied by technical difficulties. However, the apparatus consisting of a fixed-curve sheath (Model C315-S10, Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN, USA) and a lumenless fixed-screw pacing lead (Model 3830, Medtronic), allowed a rapid delivery into the RV without any complications. By rotating the Model C315-S10 sheath in the counterclockwise direction in the right atrium, its tip faced the tricuspid orifice, advanced across the tricuspid valve and confronted the RV lower septum near the apex. Then the RV-lead was fixed with acceptable pacing and sensing parameters. Utilizing a lumenless pacing lead and a preformed sheath to deliver it is a novel approach that could be helpful in pacemaker implantation in patients with absent right and persistent left SVC.