Current evidence on the safety and efficacy of subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator insertion for preventing sudden cardiac death is adequate to support the use of this procedure provided that standard arrangements are in place for clinical governance, consent and audit. Find out what standard arrangements mean on the NICE interventional procedures guidance page.
Clinicians should enter details about all patients having subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator insertion for preventing sudden cardiac death onto a register by submitting data to the National Audit of Cardiac Rhythm Management database at the UK National Institute for Cardiovascular Outcomes Research (NICOR), and should review local clinical outcomes.
The procedure should only be done by clinicians with specific training on inserting the device.