ICD removals

[kim62]

At what point would a cardiologist or EP allow an ICD to be removed? I have had one for 18 months due to a complex VT. The hospital where I went to stated they could not locate the origin of the VT and it seemed out of control. They decided an ICD would be the best and only option. Several months later and after  3 shocks and multiple VT pacings (119 monitored VTs) I became frustrated and searched the country for someone to help me. I ended up 700 miles from home..and had an ablation done that fixed the problem. MY local cardiologist along with 2 other EPs agree that I didn't even need the ICD. It appeared that I had so much anti-arrythmic meds in my system when the first ablation was tried... that it made the arrhythmia worse. My ICD settings were adjusted 3 weeks ago,. with all features except monitor and VF therapy (VVI-30/200bpm) , with also no pacing) I have never had syncope...and tolerated the VT well.


This discussion is related to heart ablation x2.

[Mom2four85]

Kim, I sent you a pm on info of an icd support group Im a member of that may have more info for you if you dont already have this info.

[kim62]

Thanks for the info...will check it out!

[itdood]

I don't have or know anyone with specific experience on this, but I did a quick google search and found a study on this subject.  Of particular interest was the last line of the abstract "The survival of patients who had their ICD removed and not reimplanted was not different from that of patients who never had their ICD removed up to 2 years."

Most had them removed due to inappropriate firing.