Lead extraction has grown from a “niche” procedure practiced by a select few individuals to a fairly widely disseminated technique. With the apparent increase in device infections, occluded veins and the need for device “upgrades,” more physicians are attempting to extract chronically implanted pacing and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) leads. Unfortunately, obtaining training for this procedure is difficult outside of a training program at a center with a physician experienced in lead extraction.
