V. Valls-bertault et al., Adverse events with transvenous left ventricular pacing in patients with severe heart failure: early experience from a single centre, EUROPACE, 3(1), 2001, pp. 60-63
Aims Assessment of complications following implantation of transvenous vent
ricular electrodes to pace the left ventricle.
Methods and Results Twenty-eight patients with severe cardiac failure and l
eft bundle branch block were prospectively followed for adverse effects of
implantation of a left ventricular transvenous pacing system. Immediate fol
lowup was associated with loss of left ventricular pacing in nine patients
(32%). This was due to lead dislodgement in four cases (corrected by re-ope
ration in three of these cases), and due to increased threshold in five cas
es (corrected by programming a higher pacing amplitude in all five cases, b
ut with intermittent diaphragmatic contraction in one case). After 1 month,
one patient died, one patient with severe coronary heart disease suffered
a myocardial infarction, and left ventricular pacing was lost in two patien
ts. Pericardial effusion, new significant ventricular arrhythmias or other
adverse effects were not observed. After a mean follow-up of 16 +/- 9.2 mon
ths, pacing leads remained stable and no late complications related to the
transvenous left ventricular epicardial pacing were observed.
Conclusion Placement of a permanent lead in a tributary of the coronary sin
us is feasible without serious adverse effects during the first month. The
only frequent adverse event was lead dislodgement; a finding which emphasiz
es the need for development of specially designed leads for this applicatio
n. (Europace 2001; 3: 60-63) (C) 2001 The European Society of Cardiology.