Background: In recent months there has been considerable concern and debate regards the safety and performance of low profile ICD leads.

Background: The number of implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICD's) patients has increased considerably since the release of the primary prevention and heart failure trials. Guidelines released by CSANZ in 1999 for the management of deceased patients with ICD's suggest that ICD's should be turned off prior to explant. The question that presents is whether these guidelines are being followed by people explanting devices given the potential danger of receiving high energy shocks.