November 2020

ICD Shock therapy – What is the cause?

Jason Collinson
Highly Specialised Cardiac Physiologist, Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Disclosure: The author has no conflict of interests to declare.

Background
A remote alert was received from a 65-year-old male with a primary prevention dual chamber ICD for ‘shock delivered for an episode’. Previous medical history included an ischemic cardiomyopathy and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Figure 1 displays the electrogram (EGM) at the time of the episode. There was a single VF therapy zone programmed with a rate cut of at 200 bpm with 30/40 intervals to detection

Figure 1: The recorded EGM at the time of the ICD shock therapy. Channels top to bottom: near-field atrial EGM, near-field ventricular EGM, marker channel

QUESTION

What was the diagnosis?

  • Appropriate shock for ventricular fibrillation

  • Inappropriate shock for electromagnetic interference (EMI)

  • Inappropriate shock for cathode conductor fracture

  • Inappropriate shock for lead insulation failure

Answer
Inappropriate shock for electromagnetic interference (EMI)

Explanation:
The EGM in figure 1 displays oversensing of 50 Hz current leak from an external source. The artefact is repetitive, of high frequency and clearly seen on both the atrial and ventricular channels with marker intervals recording sensed events at non-physiological intervals.

The episode was discussed with the patient who described no symptoms prior to the shock. He explained that he was cleaning a submersed pond pump, clearing it of weed, when he had a sudden shock across his chest. His hands were in the water at the time of the episode and it is likely that a current leak from the pump was conducted through the water, passed through the patient’s chest, which was detected by the ICD sensing circuit, resulting in the shock.

The patient was advised to have an electrician check the pump and circuitry before attempting to clean the pump again and as a further precaution told to unplug the pump from the mains before working on the system again.

Comments
Inappropriate shocks from EMI are infrequently seen, but are a known risk to patients with ICDs. Case reports have described their occurrence in several settings including faulty or poorly earthed submerged pond pumps 1,2, AC current leaks from faulty appliances3, swimming pools4 and jucuzzi’s5.

For those involved in ICD follow up it is important to recognise EMI artefact on an EGM trace. The artefact is usually repetitive and of a high rate. This is seen as 50Hz in the UK, 60Hz in America.

EMI is often visible simultaneously on all channels with a greater amplitude on far field EGMs compared to near field EGM’s. However, it may also be seen only present on the atrial channel with atrial leads shown to be more susceptible to EMI6.

If EMI is suspected careful questioning of the patient, their activities and possible electrical items being used at the time of stored episodes or a shock event is required to help determine whether EMI is the likely source of artefact.

When advice is provided to patients with respect to equipment which may or may not interact with their ICD, it may be worth reminding patients that poorly maintained equipment, self-installed electrical systems and water based electrical equipment pose a greater potential risk of interactions, including inappropriate ICD therapies.

 References
1) Knight HM, Cakebread HE, Gajendragadkar PR, et al. Sleeping with the fishes: electromagnetic interference causing an inappropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator shock. BMJ Case Reports 2014; 2014: bcr2013203462.

2) Vlay S. Fish pond electromagnetic interference resulting in an inappropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator shock. Journal of Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology 2002; 25(10): 1532.

3) Chan NY, Wai-Ling Ho L. Inappropriate implantable cardioverter – defibrillator shock due to external alternating current leak: Report of two cases. EP Europace 2005; 7(2): 193-196.

4) Lee SW, Moak JP, Lewis B. Inadvertent detection of 60-Hz alternating current by an implantable cardioverter defibrillator. Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology 2002; 25: 518-519.

5) Martin C and Carpenter V. Preventing inappropriate shocks: Integrating ICD programming, drug and interventional treatment and jacuzzi avoidance. BHRS Editorial 2017. https://bhrs.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/171011-Case-Report-Avoiding-Inappropriate-Shocks.pdf

6) Napp A, Joosten S, Studer D, et al. Electromagnetic interference with implantable cardioverter defibrillators at power frequency: an in vivo study. Circulation 2014; 129: 441-50.