Use of an apical suctioning device for placement of a posterior epicardial defibrillator patch: a case report.

We report a case of a 43-year-old man with dilated cardiomyopathy and intractable ventricular tachycardias who did not respond to percutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapy and required implantation of epicardial patches. An apical suctioning device was used to retract the apex of the heart outside the mediastinal domain. The device provided excellent exposure and hemodynamic stability to safely implant the posterior epicardial patch.