Infections of Cardiac Implantable Devices. A Comprehensive Guide

Cardiac implantable device (CIED) infections are a key issue since they have serious consequences in terms of morbidity, mortality and associated costs for healthcare systems. Such infections are highly complex, which has implications for prevention (several factors underlie its development), diagnosis (requiring patient specific integration of several elements), acute treatment (choice of the antibiotic, lead extraction procedure), as well as long-term management (CIED re-implantation strategy and follow-up). Dealing with CIED infections requires appropriate organization of healthcare provision, with the creation of integrated hub-spoke referrals, and it has prompted many of the recent developments in CIED technologies: leadless pacemakers, subcutaneous defibrillators, antibacterial envelops and lead extraction devices. This book systematically examines all aspects of this multifaceted condition, discussing each clinical and organizational issue in a separate self-contained chapter. It starts by reviewing the epidemiology/pathophysiology of CIED infections, and then addresses acute and long-term management. Offering a comprehensive overview of the prevention of infections, considering both current and future perspectives, the book also provides practical suggestions along with recommendations from the literature in the field. This is the first book entirely focused on CIED infections. Written by an international team of leading experts it will appeal to broad audience, including cardiologists, electrophysiologists, infectious disease specialists, internists, healthcare professionals, health service managers and providers, researchers and those working in industries involved in the field.

Igor Diemberger is Assistant Professor of Cardiology and Consultant Cardiologist of the Electrophysiology Unit at the Institute of Cardiology at the University Hospital S.Orsola-Malpighi of Bologna. He is fellow of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the Italian Society on Arrhythmia and Cardiac Pacing (AIAC); he is also a member of the Young Council of the Italian Society on Arrhythmia and Cardiac Pacing (AIAC), the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) and among the experts appointed by the Italian Ministry of Health at the European Medicines Agency (EMEA), London. His broad research Interests range from the management and prevention of infections and the failure of cardiac implantable devices - with particular focus on lead extraction - to the evaluation of proarrhythmic risk of non-antiarrhythmic drugs and the pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment of atrial fibrillation. Furthermore his expertise includes cardiac resynchronization therapy for heart failure patients, treatment of ventricular arrhythmias and prevention of sudden cardiac death, as well as non-invasive evaluation of heart failure patients. His investigations also address pharmacoeconomic issues related to cardiac pacing/defibrillation and atrial fibrillation systems. He has contributed to several multi-center trials and is the author of more than 100 papers and several book chapters.

Giuseppe Boriani is Full Professor of Cardiology at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Chief of the Cardiology Department of Modena University Hospital. He is Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology (FESC) and of the European Heart Rhythm Association (FEHRA). He is former member of the Board of the European Heart Rhythm Association and former Chair of the Health Economics Committee of the European Heart Rhythm Association and Past-President 2016-2018 of the Italian Society of Cardiac Pacing and Arrhythmology (AIAC).

His scientific activity was mainly focused on arrhythmias, clinical electrophysiology, heart failure, cardiomyopathies - including neuromuscular diseases - clinical cardiology, pharmacoeconomics, clinical pharmacology of antiarrhythmic agents and antithrombotics. He is author or co-author of several books and 615 papers in peer-reviewed journals.