Certified, then re-certified every year
Anyone performing lead extraction in Australia must complete a rigorous training and certification process, followed by annual recertification. Each year, practitioners must show that their procedure volume, success rates and complication rates remain at an acceptable standard.
Lead extraction was the first procedure in Australia to have such a stringent process, which exists to ensure the highest possible standard of patient care.
Who oversees it
Certification is run by Cardiac Accreditation Services Limited (CASL) through its Lead Extraction Certification Committee. A/Prof Gareth Wynn chairs the committee.
Check who is accredited
CASL publishes a register of certified lead extractors. Only the cardiologists and cardiac surgeons listed there are currently accredited to perform lead extraction.