A search of PubMed for “Defibrillators, Implantable”[MAJR] AND (local anesthesia OR sedation) AND (outcome OR complications OR safety OR satisfaction) identified several studies.

Studies comparing local anesthesia/sedation v. general anesthesia

Can we implant cardioverter defibrillator under minimal sedation?
Marquié C, Duchemin A, Klug D, Lamblin N, Mizon F, Cordova H, Boulo M, Lacroix D, Pol A, Kacet S.
Europace. 2007 Jul;9(7):545-50.
Measured patient-reported level of pain.

Electrophysiologist-implanted transvenous cardioverter defibrillators using local versus general anesthesia.
Manolis AS, Maounis T, Vassilikos V, Chiladakis J, Cokkinos DV.
Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2000 Jan;23(1):96-105.
Measured rate of post-surgical complications

Local anaesthesia versus general anaesthesia for cardioverter-defibrillator implantation.
Stix G, Anvari A, Podesser B, Pernerstorfer T, Mayer C, Laufer G, Schmidinger H.
Wien Klin Wochenschr. 1999 May 21;111(10):406-9.
Measured rate of post-surgical complications

Intravenous sedation for placement of automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillators.
Pinosky ML, Reeves ST, Fishman RL, Alpert CC, Dorman BH, Kratz JM.
J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 1996 Oct;10(6):764-6.
Measured length of stay and rate of post-surgical complications

Studies describing outcomes for procedures performed under locatl anesthetic/sedation

Safety and acceptability of implantation of internal cardioverter-defibrillators under local anesthetic and conscious sedation.
Fox DJ, Davidson NC, Royle M, Bennett DH, Clarke B, Garratt CJ, Hall MC, Zaidi AM, Patterson K, Fitzpatrick AP.
Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2007 Aug;30(8):992-7. Erratum in: Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2007 Nov;30(11):1423

Additional descriptive studies

Reviewed JKN 4/14