Connecting Experts. Advancing Techniques. Elevating Outcomes.
Merit Medical is committed to advancing lead extraction education and innovation. With the acquisition of Cook Medical’s lead management portfolio, we are building upon the strong foundation Cook established by taking the Virtual Lead Extraction Experts Meeting (VLEEM) to the next level.
VLEEM was created to connect lead extraction experts from around the world, fostering collaboration and foster knowledge sharing in this critical field. What began as a small, invitation only event has evolved into a global forum where specialists present on and discuss the latest challenges, techniques, and advancements in lead extraction.
Our goal is to provide physicians and fellows with the knowledge, tools, and best practices to improve patient safety and procedural success.
2025 FOCUS TOPIC
Live Panel Discussion
Network with Thought Leaders
Explore Cutting-Edge Technology
Video Library
2024: Managing Your Transvenous Lead Extraction and Avoiding Trouble
Filmed October 4, 2024
Title: Managing trouble – identifying potential problems before they happen
Faculty / Location: Prof. Dr. Federico Migliore (Padova, Italy)
Title: Using alternative approaches to prevent trouble
Faculty / Location: Dr. Roger Freedman (Salt Lake City, Utah, United States)
Title: What to do when leads break?
Faculty / Location: Dr. Alexander Breitenstein (Zurich, Switzerland)
Title: Awful cases: navigating from a catastrophe to a great outcome
Faculty / Location: Dr. Raymond Schaerf (California, United States)
2023: Complications: How to manage and how to avoid
Filmed October 20, 2023
Title: SVC injury
Faculty / Location: Dr. Heiko Burger, Kerckhoff Heart Centre, Bad Nauheim, Germany
Title: Vascular access issues
Faculty / Location: Dr. Archana Rao, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, Liverpool, England, United Kingdom
Title: Tricuspid valve damage
Faculty / Location: Dr. Raymond Schaerf, Cedars-Sinai, Los Angeles, CA, United States
Title: Pocket erosions & management
Faculty / Location: Dr. Santiago Nava, Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia, Mexico City, Mexico
Title: Bits and pieces
Faculty / Location: Dr. Mark Gallagher, St George’s Hospital Medical School, London, England, United Kingdom
Title: Heart failure & hemodynamic crashes
Faculty / Location: Dr. Alexander Breitenstein, Cardiology University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
Title: All for one? Targeting just the culprit lead? What about the bystanders?
Faculty / Location: Prof. Christoph Starck, German Heart Center in Berlin, Germany
Title: All for one? Targeting just the culprit lead? What about the bystanders?
Faculty / Location: Dr. Nigel Lever, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand