ICD Follow-Up: Complications, Troubleshooting, and Emergencies Related to ICDs

The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) has been established as an effective treatment for prevention of sudden cardiac death. ICD indications continue to expand and the number of ICD implants continues to grow exponentially. This chapter reviews current practice guidelines for ICD follow-up and complications related to device implants; it also provides an update on stored diagnostic data that provide crucial information about device function, arrhythmia documentation, and enable troubleshooting of problems related to ICD function. Emergencies related to ICDs are also reviewed, as well as the management of the ICD patient during the perioperative period. Electromagnetic interference (EMI) and hospital sources of interference are discussed, as well as the psychological aspects of defibrillator implantation to the patient.