Laser Lead Extraction is one of the latest technology-backed procedures available to safely remove problematic electoral lead wires for pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). Historically, lead extraction relied on using a counterweight to pull a lead out of the heart, which could result in heart damage or incomplete lead removal. Today, laser lead removal uses cold lasers to help remove leads with virtually no risk of damaging the heart during the procedure. Lead extraction is appropriate for patients with:
Clinical studies of laser lead extraction have shown:
Lutheran Medical Center has developed a multidisciplinary team of electrophysiologists, cardiac surgeons, and cardiac cauterizations teams to create a successful laser lead extraction program. Today, Lutheran Medical Center is one of the few hospitals in the region that can offer this procedure.