[Management of heart failure with His bundle pacing in right bundle branch block: case report]
Jorge Gómez-Flores1, Jovana Pérez-Báez1, Guillermo Muñoz1
1Departamento de Electrofisiología. Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Ciudad de México, México.
Insights
His bundle pacing effectively treats heart failure in patients with right bundle branch block. This cardiac resynchronization therapy restores biventricular synchrony and significantly improves ejection fraction.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Electrophysiology
- Heart Failure Management
Background:
- Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is effective for heart failure with left bundle branch block.
- Conventional biventricular CRT is often ineffective in patients with right bundle branch block.
- Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy with severe left ventricular dysfunction presents unique challenges.
Observation:
- A 47-year-old male patient presented with heart failure, an ejection fraction of 17%, and complete right bundle branch block.
- Standard CRT was not indicated due to the presence of right bundle branch block.
- Selective His bundle pacing was performed to address the conduction abnormalities.
Findings:
- His bundle pacing successfully recruited the right bundle branch, restoring conduction.
- Biventricular synchrony was reestablished, as evidenced by speckle tracking analysis.
- Left ventricular ejection fraction significantly increased from 17% to 36.6%.
Implications:
- His bundle pacing offers a viable alternative CRT strategy for heart failure patients with right bundle branch block.
- This technique can potentially improve outcomes in patients non-responsive to conventional CRT.
- Successful His bundle pacing demonstrates the potential for achieving biventricular synchrony through His-Purkinje system activation.
Abstract:
La terapia de resincronización cardiaca mediante estimulación hisiana ha demostrado ser efectiva en pacientes con bloqueo de rama izquierda del haz de His e insuficiencia cardiaca. Paciente masculino, con 47 años de edad, con insuficiencia cardiaca, fracción de expulsión del 17% y miocardio dilatada idiopática, electrocardiograma en ritmo sinusal, bloqueo auriculoventricular de 1.er grado, intervalo PR 400 ms, bloqueo completo de rama derecha del haz de His, bloqueo del fascículo anterior de la rama izquierda del haz de His, duración del QRS 200 ms. Se decidió realizar estimulación selectiva del haz de His. La resincronización cardiaca biventricular convencional en pacientes con presencia de bloqueo completo de la rama derecha del haz de His no está indicada debido a la pobre respuesta al tratamiento. La estimulación hisiana permite reclutar la rama bloqueada y reestablecer la conducción a través de ella, de tal forma que, en ausencia de necrosis, se logre sincronía biventricular. En el caso presentado el reclutamiento de la rama derecha mediante estimulación hisiana se reflejó en el restablecimiento de la sincronía biventricular, medida por rastreo de marcas (speckle tracking) e incremento significativo de la fracción de expulsión del ventrículo izquierdo del 17 al 36.6%, con un incremento absoluto del 19.6%.
Abstract:
Cardiac resynchronization therapy has proven to be an effective therapy in patients with left bundle branch block and heart failure. Male, 47 years old, heart failure with a left ventricle ejection fraction of 17%, idiopathic heart failure. ECG with sinus rhythm, 1st degree AV block, PR 400 ms, complete right bundle branch block, anterior hemi-fascicle of the left bundle of His, and QRS duration 200 ms. We decided to perform a selective His bundle pacing. In patients with right bundle branch block the biventricular cardiac resynchronization is not indicated due to low treatment response. His bundle pacing allows recruiting the blocked branch and restoring conduction throughout it, therefore, in the absence of necrosis the biventricular synchrony is achieved. We presented a case of His bundle pacing with recruitment of the right bundle branch, which reestablish biventricular synchrony measured by speckle tracking, and with a significant increase of the left ventricle ejection fraction from 17 to 36.6%, with an absolute increase of 19.6%.
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