An alternate technique to pacing in complex congenital heart disease: assessment of the left thoracotomy approach

Pacing in children with congenital heart disease often requires alternate approaches to standard transvenous pacing. The surgical approach used to implant the pacemaker leads has been shown to impact lead survival. There is a paucity of pediatric literature describing the experience using a left thoracotomy approach.

To report on short- and mid-term experiences with pacemaker implant via the left thoracotomy approach in children with complex congenital heart disease.

Data were abstracted retrospectively from patients' hospital charts. To date, the left thoracotomy technique has been used in 11 patients with complex heart disease, with a median of three prior cardiac operations. The median patient age was five years (range of two months to 23 years of age). The pacing indications were acquired postoperative atrioventricular block (n=5), sinus node dysfunction (n=5) and long QT syndrome (n=1). There were no intraoperative complications or long-term complications from this approach. The pacing thresholds at implant and follow-up were acceptable in all patients. One patient died in follow-up for reasons unrelated to the pacemaker or arrhythmia.

The placement of epicardial pacemaker leads via the left thoracotomy approach is a safe and effective alternative to transvenous pacing in pediatric patients with complex congenital heart disease.