Single- and dual-site ventricular pacing entirely through the coronary sinus for patients with prior tricuspid valve surgery

Purpose Transvenous right ventricular pacing has traditionally been avoided after surgical tricuspid valve repair or replacement because of possible valvular dysfunction. Epicardial pacing has been used but it requires surgical thoracotomy and has higher lead failure rates when compared to transvenous pacing. We evaluated the lead stability and clinical outcomes in patients with isolated coronary sinus (CS) lead due to relative contraindication to transvenous pacing from prior tricuspid valve (TV) surgery. Methods We retrospectively examined a single-center cohort of 34 patients with TV disease and/or surgery who underwent permanent pacemaker implantation with a left ventricular CS lead as the only ventricular pacing lead (to avoid crossing the TV). The clinical outcome, echocardiographic data, and pacing thresholds were evaluated at follow-up. Results We implanted 19 patients with a single-CS lead and 15 patients with dual-CS leads. The average left ventricular ejection fraction was 56 +/- 13% prior to lead implantation and remained stable at 2-year follow-up. The tricuspid regurgitation remained mild at follow-up. The average lead pacing threshold was 1.2 +/- 0.6 V x ms at implant and 1.1 +/- 0.4 V x ms at 2-year follow-up (P = 0.39). For patients with dual-CS leads, the pacing threshold was 1.2 +/- 0.7 V x ms at implant and 1.1 +/- 0.5 V x ms at 2-year follow-up (P = 0.52). Conclusions The use of ventricular pacing entirely through the CS is an effective and minimally invasive method that provides stable pacing for patients with prior TV surgery in whom transvenous lead placement either is not possible or is relatively contraindicated.