Rescue of an epicardial left ventricular pacing lead without explantation in a patient with CRT-D pocket infection: mission possible.

Device pocket infections in patients with permanent pacemakers and implantable defibrillators are a common complication, requiring explantation of the entire system if involvement of the leads is evident. We report on a patient with a pocket infection of a cardiac-resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D), in whom the left ventricular epicardial pacing lead was saved without explantation of the lead.