Between March 1995 and June 1997, 128 leads were extracted from the hearts of 28 women and 50 men, 69 +/- 15 years of age (mean +/- SD, range 22-92 years). The indications for the procedure were: Accufix leads in 18 patients (14%), dysfunction or incompatibility with ICD in 16 (12%), endocarditis on the lead in 41 (32%), pulse generator pocket infection in 28 (22%), and pulse generator and/or lead erosion in 25 patients (19%). The extraction was performed with a snare (lasso), via a femoral vein as a first approach in 116 leads, and as an alternate approach, after extraction from the original site of implantation had failed, in 12 leads. The leads had been implanted for 62 +/- 48 months (range 1-205 months). A Cook sheath was used in 7, and a femoral approach traction in 20 instances. Of the 128 leads, 122 (95%) were completely extracted, and 2 (2%) were partially extracted (the distal electrode remaining attached to the myocardium), and 4 (3%) could not be removed. Four complications occurred: 2 tears of the tricuspid valve without clinical consequences, one separation of the lead's distal electrode which migrated into the hypogastric vein, and one hemorrhage at the femoral puncture site. There was no death or serious complication caused by lead extraction in this series.