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LONDON: Cleveland Clinic London is the first private hospital in the United Kingdom to have a cardiac device laser-lead system installed and successfully performing laser lead-extraction procedures of infected and malfunctioning cardiac device wires.
Pacing leads are insulated wires that run from the heart to a pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. If there is an infection or malfunction, it is necessary to remove them. Lead extraction is a complicated procedure because it requires navigating tough scar tissue that holds the lead in place.
Professor Aldo Rinaldi, consultant cardiologist at Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and Cleveland Clinic London, led the electrophysiology team during the first procedure in October.
Cleveland Clinic London has now completed four successful laser lead-removal procedures since the system was installed. The first patients who benefitted from this procedure in the private sector in London presented with a combination of lead malfunctions and device-lead infections and recovered well after their procedures.
“Lead extraction for a cardiac device can be a lifesaving procedure. It requires a multidisciplinary team of cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, perfusionists and infection specialists,” said Professor Rinaldi. “Greater awareness of the symptoms and signs of device infection amongst patients and clinicians is essential for prompt diagnosis and treatment and are crucial to improve patient outcomes.”
An estimated 10,000-15,000 transvenous lead extractions are now performed yearly worldwide. While lead infections are uncommon, they should be treated by an experienced medical team. The most common reason for lead extraction is device infection that usually spreads to the lead from an infection of the blood (bacteremia). Heart valves may also become infected (infective endocarditis). Infection is not easily recognized but can lead to serious complications, including death, if not and treated promptly.
“Because device lead removal is a complex procedure, Cleveland Clinic London brings together a multidisciplinary team that manages the patient from diagnosis to recovery,” said Professor Bernard Pendergast, chair of Cardiology at Cleveland Clinic London. “The team brings together different clinical perspectives to the patient’s care for the best possible outcome.”
The laser lead-extraction service is the latest innovation available at Cleveland Clinic London since it opened in April 2022.
Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. U.S. News & World Report consistently names Cleveland Clinic as one of the nation’s best hospitals in its annual “America’s Best Hospitals” survey. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 77,000 employees worldwide are more than 5,658 salaried physicians and researchers, and 19,000 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic is a 6,665-bed health system that includes a 173-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 22 hospitals, more than 275 outpatient facilities, including locations in northeast Ohio; southeast Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2022, there were 12.8 million outpatient encounters, 303,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 270,000 surgeries and procedures throughout Cleveland Clinic’s health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 185 countries. Visit us at clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at twitter.com/ClevelandClinic. News and resources available at newsroom.clevelandclinic.org.
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Cleveland Clinic London is the latest location in Cleveland Clinic’s expanding global footprint, allowing Cleveland Clinic to extend its model of care to more patients than ever. Cleveland Clinic London hospital opened on March 29, 2022. It has 184 inpatient beds, including 29 ICU beds; eight operating rooms; a full imaging suite; endoscopy and cardiac catheterization laboratories; day case rooms for surgery; and a full neurological suite with rehabilitation. In addition to comprehensive cardiovascular and thoracic services, it offers orthopedics, digestive diseases, urology, neurosciences, ear, nose and throat, general surgery, general practice, and executive health. Cleveland Clinic London consists of a hospital and an outpatient center. Cleveland Clinic Portland Place Outpatient Centre, a six-story, 28,000-square foot building at Portland Place, in the Harley Street Medical Area. Visit us at clevelandcliniclondon.uk/. Follow us at twitter.com/clecliniclondon. News and resources available at newsroom.clevelandclinic.org/tag/london.
