SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF A SINGLE PROCEDURE OF EXTRACTION AND REIMPLANTATION OF INFECTED CARDIOVASCULAR IMPLANTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE (CIED) IN COMPARISON WITH DEFERRAL TIMING: AN OBSERVATIONAL RETROSPECTIVE MULTICENTRIC STUDY

Infections are among the most frequent and life–threatening complications of cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED) implantation. The aim of this study is to compare the outcome and safety of a single–procedure device extraction and contralateral implantation versus the standard–of–care (SoC) two–stage replacement for infected CIEDs.

We retrospectively included 66 patients with CIED infections who were treated at two Italian hospitals. Of the 66 patients enrolled in the study, 27 underwent a single procedure, whereas 39 received SoC treatment. All patients were followed up for 12 months after the procedure.

Considering those lost to follow–up, there were no differences in the mortality rates between the two cohorts, with survival rates of 81.5% in the single–procedure group and 84.6% in the SoC group (p = 0.075).

Single–procedure reimplantation associated with an active antibiofilm therapy may be a feasible and effective therapeutic option in CIED–dependent and frail patients. Further studies are warranted to define the best treatment regimen and strategies to select patients suitable for the single–procedure reimplantation.