Superior vena cava syndrome and syncope in an implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipient.

We describe the case of a recipient of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator with multiple syncopal episodes due both to superior vena cava obstruction and electrical instability. These complications occurred in the presence of two transvenous implantable cardioverter defibrillator leads. The patient has been managed conservatively with anticoagulants and new antiarrhythmic drugs with improvement in both his clinical problems. Copyright 2004 The European Society of Cardiology