Long-Term Safety and Efficacy of Intraoperative Leadless Pacemaker Implantation During Valve Surgery

Intraoperative implantation of leadless cardiac pacemakers (LCPs) under direct visualization during cardiac surgery is a novel strategy to provide pacing to patients with an elevated risk of postoperative conduction disorders or with a preexisting pacing indication undergoing valve surgery.

This study sought to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of intraoperative LCP implantation in 100 consecutive patients.

Retrospective single-center cohort study of consecutive patients (n = 100) who underwent intraoperative LCP implantation during valve surgery. Safety and efficacy were assessed at implantation and follow-up visits.

A total of 100 patients (age 68 ± 13 years, 47% female) underwent intraoperative LCP implantation. The surgery involved the tricuspid valve in 99 patients (99%), including tricuspid valve repair in 59 (59%) and tricuspid valve replacement in 40 (40%). Most of the patients (78%) underwent multivalve surgery. The indication for LCP implantation was elevated risk of postoperative atrioventricular block in 54% and preexisting bradyarrhythmias in 46%. LCP implantation was successful in all patients. During a median of 10.6 months (IQR: 2.0-22.7 months) of follow-up, no device-related complications occurred. At 12-month follow-up, the pacing thresholds were acceptable (≤2.0 V at 0.24 milliseconds) in 95% of patients.

Intraoperative LCP implantation under direct visualization is a safe strategy to provide permanent pacing in patients undergoing valve surgery, with a postoperative electrical performance comparable to percutaneously placed LCPs.