Introduction
Progressive pump failure and malignant ventricular arrhythmias are the
leading causes of death in patients with advanced heart failure with
HFrEF. In patients with refractory HFrEF despite optimal
guideline-directed medical therapy, an LVAD, may be implanted as either
a bridge to heart transplantation or destination therapy for
non-candidates of heart transplant. These patients often meet
recommended indications for an ICD as primary prevention of sudden
cardiac death1. Therefore, many patients with HFrEF
have both devices implanted. Electromagnetic interference (EMI) between
LVAD and ICD may result in an inability to make a telemetric link for
interrogation, or cause an inappropriate shock, or fail to deliver an
appropriate shock. We describe a unique and convenient technique to
increase the distance between LVAD and ICD, eliminating their
interaction to allow successful interrogation of the ICD.