Vol 16, No 5 (2009)
Case Reports
Published online: 2009-07-31
Multiple shocks after upgrade of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator to a cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillator device
Cardiol J 2009;16(5):473-476.
Abstract
Inappropriate shocks from implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) may occur for many
reasons. Inappropriate shocks are not simply painful inconveniences for patients; they also
may result in the need for further operative procedures, and sometimes even death. Herein, we
report the case of a patient who after upgrade of an ICD to a cardiac resynchronization
therapy-defibrillator device (CRT-D), returned with multiple shocks due to altered sensing and
defibrillation polarities that resulted from actual physical reversal of the distal (–) and proximal
(+) lead terminals in the header of the device.
Keywords: implantable cardioverter-defibrillatorcardiac resynchronization therapyheart failureshocks