Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 3, 2025

Technique and Patient Selection Criteria of Right Anterior Mini-Thoracotomy for Minimal Access Aortic Valve Replacement
Published on: March 26, 2018
Impact of pre-existing right or left bundle branch block on patients undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement
Eilon Ram1,2, Yael Peled3, Irena Sarantsev1
1Department of Cardiac Surgery, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Insights
Pre-existing bundle branch block increases pacemaker implantation and mortality risk after aortic valve replacement. Patients with bundle branch block face poorer long-term survival compared to those without this conduction abnormality.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Cardiac Surgery
- Electrophysiology
Background:
- Pre-existing bundle branch block (BBB) is a common finding in patients undergoing aortic valve (AV) replacement.
- Limited contemporary data exist on the prognostic impact of BBB on clinical outcomes post-AV replacement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of pre-existing left or right bundle branch block on clinical outcomes in patients undergoing AV replacement.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 2704 patients undergoing AV replacement between 2004 and 2020.
- Comparison of clinical outcomes between patients with and without pre-existing bundle branch block.
Main Results:
- Patients with pre-existing bundle branch block (7.5%) had higher in-hospital mortality (5.9% vs 2.9%, P=0.032) and significantly more new pacemaker implantations (28.6% vs 7.5% vs 2.8%, P<0.001).
- Left bundle branch block was associated with higher mortality (11.9% vs 4.3%, P=0.003) compared to right bundle branch block.
- The 10-year cumulative survival rate was lower for patients with bundle branch block (76.8% vs 82.8%, P=0.042).
Conclusions:
- Pre-existing bundle branch block is associated with increased pacemaker implantation and all-cause mortality after AV replacement.
- Patients with bundle branch block have worse long-term survival following AV replacement compared to those without conduction disturbances.
Objectives:
Contemporary data on the prognostic impact of pre-existing left or right bundle branch block on clinical outcomes after aortic valve (AV) replacement are limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of pre-existing bundle branch block on clinical outcomes in patients undergoing AV replacement.
Methods:
Data from patients who underwent AV replacement surgery between 2004 and 2020 were obtained from our departmental database.
Results:
Of the 2704 study patients, 203 (7.5%) had pre-existing bundle branch block and 2501 (92.5%) had normal atrioventricular conduction. The mean age was 68 (13) years, 1697 (63%) were male and 683 (25%) had a unicuspid or bicuspid AV. The in-hospital mortality rate was higher in patients with pre-existing bundle branch block compared to those without on admission (5.9% vs 2.9%, P = 0.032), and more frequent in patients with left compared with right bundle branch block (11.9% vs 4.3%, P = 0.003). New pacemaker implantation was most frequent in those patients with pre-existing left bundle branch block, followed by right and no bundle branch block on admission (28.6% vs 7.5% vs 2.8% respectively, P < 0.001; odds ratio 4.96 95% confidence interval 2.96-8.08, P < 0.001). The 10-year cumulative survival rate was lower in patients with bundle branch block compared with patients with no bundle branch block (76.8% vs 82.8%, log-rank P < 0.001; hazard ratio 0.73, confidence interval 0.54-0.99, P = 0.042).
Conclusions:
This study indicates that patients with pre-existing bundle branch block have a higher incidence of pacemaker implantation and all-cause mortality after AV replacement compared with patients without a conduction disturbance.
Related Concept Videos
Aortic Regurgitation III: Medical Management
Aneurysm IV: Nursing Management
Cardiomyopathy VII: Pre and Post Operative Nursing Management
Aortic Regurgitation I: Introduction
Mitral Stenosis I: Introduction
Mitral Stenosis III: Medical Management

