FIGURE LEGENDS
Figure 1: Kaplan-Meier curves describing lead survival.A) No significant difference in survival of ICD leads was detected between those implanted via the cephalic and non-cephalic routes. B) ICD lead implanted in septal and apical locations lasted equally well. C) Durability of the ICD lead was not influenced by the number of leads implanted via the cephalic vein.D) The number of coils of the implanted ICD lead does not affect lead longevity.
Figure 2 : Kaplan-Meier curve of ICD lead survival by gender. The rate of defibrillator lead survival was significantly poorer in female patients, compared to their male counterparts (p=0.01).
Figure 3: Examples of radiographic images from fluoroscopy stored at the time of implantation for patients who subsequently experienced lead failure. The numbering of patients corresponds to the order of implantation and the numbering in table 4. A)Corresponding to patient 1. B) Corresponding to patient 3.C) and D) Corresponding to patient number 4.E) Corresponding to patient 5. F) Patient number 6.G) Patient 7. H) Patient number 8 with tortuosity of the innominate vein I) Venogram of Patient 9 demonstrating a large cephalic vein (dotted arrow) which was not used; instead the system was implanted by lateral axillary puncture (solid arrow).J) Corresponding to patient 10.