Cardiomyoplasty after implantation of a pacemaker and cardioverter/defibrillator.

Abstract

Presently, a combination of two surgical methods improves the survival of patients with advanced ventricular dysfunction: implantable cardioverter/defibrillator implantation (which prevents sudden cardiac death) and cardiomyoplasty (which prevents further dilatation of the heart and provides additional cardiac assistance). We report the clinical course of a patient who had cardiomyoplasty after cardioverter/defibrillator implantation and pacemaker insertion. It is a rare case in which three different devices cardioverter/defibrillator, pacemaker, and cardiomyostimulator) are functioning together without crosstalk.