Risk of Pacemaker Implantation After Degenerative Mitral and Concomitant Tricuspid Valve Surgery

A recent multicenter trial showed a reduction in tricuspid regurgitation (TR) progression when tricuspid annuloplasty was performed at the time of surgery for degenerative mitral regurgitation (MR), but with a 14% permanent pacemaker (PPM) rate. We present real-world outcomes at a high-volume center for degenerative MR surgery with/without tricuspid annuloplasty.

Patients undergoing first-time degenerative mitral surgery between 2011 and 2021 were identified (n = 1738). After excluding patients undergoing aortic, aortic valve, or tricuspid replacement procedures, patients were stratified into mitral surgery alone (n = 1068) vs mitral surgery plus tricuspid annuloplasty (n = 417). Outcomes, including operative mortality, new PPM implantation, postoperative length of stay, and risk-adjusted overall mortality, were compared.

Among 1485 patients in this study, 98% underwent mitral repair. Compared with concomitant tricuspid annuloplasty patients, those undergoing mitral surgery alone were 6 years younger and had lower median The Society of Thoracic Surgeons predicted risk of mortality. Among concomitant tricuspid repair patients, 85% (355 of 417) had moderate or less preoperative TR, whereas 15% (61 of 417) had severe TR. Operative mortality was 1.4%. The incidence of new PPM implantation was 0.7% (7 of 1068) in the mitral only group and 5.5% (23 of 417) in the concomitant tricuspid group (P < .001). Although unadjusted cumulative survival was lower in the concomitant tricuspid group, after risk adjustment, concomitant tricuspid surgery was not associated with worse overall mortality (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.53-1.19; P = .27).

Concomitant tricuspid annuloplasty is safe, with no difference in mortality and a <6% PPM rate at a high-volume mitral center. These data provide real-world context for concomitant tricuspid annuloplasty.