Safety of cardiac resynchronization device implantation — retrospective analysis from high-volume centre
Affiliations- Department of Cardiology and Internal Medicine, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Marii Skłodowskiej-Curie 9, 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland
open access
Abstract
Aims: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is a treatment dedicated to patients suffering from heart
failure and asynchrony of systole typically due to left bundle branch block (LBBB). The aim of this study
is to analyse the safety of CRT device implantation in a large single-centre group.
Methods and results: The retrospective analysis of 198 patients hospitalized in the Department of Cardiology,
dr A. Jurasz University Hospital no 1 in Bydgoszcz, who underwent CRT devices implantations in two
consecutive years (2015–2016) has been performed. Out of 198 patients, 136 underwent implantation of
CRT de novo and 62 exchange of the device. Studied procedures included implantations of 121 (89.0%)
cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators (CRT-D) and 15 (11.0%) cardiac resynchronization therapy
pacemakers (CRT-P) de novo, as procedures of exchange were excluded from statistical analysis. Collected
data included: reported complications, patients’ basic clinical characteristics, comorbidities and details of
implantation procedures. Development of any complication was observed in 43 patients (31.6%), out of
whom 29 (21.3%) experienced one, 10 (7.4%) two and 4 (2.9%) three complications. Most of them were
minor complications. Serious complications which included pneumothorax, mediastinal hematoma and
cardiac tamponade were observed in 6 (4.4%) cases, there were no perioperative deaths. The occurrence
of complications was significantly more frequent in females (OR , 3.45, 95% CI 1.37–8.71, p 0.008), was
associated with prolonged procedure time (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.04–1.20, p 0.003) and prolonged hospitalization
time (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.06–1.27, p 0.001).
Conclusion: Overall, implantations of CRT devices are burdened with a substantial risk of complications,
although the majority of them are minor and do not require subsequent surgical intervention. The risk of
developing serious complications is low, accounting for 4.4%.
Abstract
Aims: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is a treatment dedicated to patients suffering from heart
failure and asynchrony of systole typically due to left bundle branch block (LBBB). The aim of this study
is to analyse the safety of CRT device implantation in a large single-centre group.
Methods and results: The retrospective analysis of 198 patients hospitalized in the Department of Cardiology,
dr A. Jurasz University Hospital no 1 in Bydgoszcz, who underwent CRT devices implantations in two
consecutive years (2015–2016) has been performed. Out of 198 patients, 136 underwent implantation of
CRT de novo and 62 exchange of the device. Studied procedures included implantations of 121 (89.0%)
cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators (CRT-D) and 15 (11.0%) cardiac resynchronization therapy
pacemakers (CRT-P) de novo, as procedures of exchange were excluded from statistical analysis. Collected
data included: reported complications, patients’ basic clinical characteristics, comorbidities and details of
implantation procedures. Development of any complication was observed in 43 patients (31.6%), out of
whom 29 (21.3%) experienced one, 10 (7.4%) two and 4 (2.9%) three complications. Most of them were
minor complications. Serious complications which included pneumothorax, mediastinal hematoma and
cardiac tamponade were observed in 6 (4.4%) cases, there were no perioperative deaths. The occurrence
of complications was significantly more frequent in females (OR , 3.45, 95% CI 1.37–8.71, p 0.008), was
associated with prolonged procedure time (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.04–1.20, p 0.003) and prolonged hospitalization
time (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.06–1.27, p 0.001).
Conclusion: Overall, implantations of CRT devices are burdened with a substantial risk of complications,
although the majority of them are minor and do not require subsequent surgical intervention. The risk of
developing serious complications is low, accounting for 4.4%.
Keywords
Cardiac resynchronization therapy, heart failure, complications
About this articleTitle
Safety of cardiac resynchronization device implantation — retrospective analysis from high-volume centre
Journal
Issue
Pages
159-164
Published online
2018-10-25
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DOI
Bibliographic record
Medical Research Journal 2018;3(3):159-164.
Keywords
Cardiac resynchronization therapy
heart failure
complications
Authors
Piotr Lackowski
Anna Bacza
Agata Szczepanowska
Anna Świerk
Michał Kasprzak
Małgorzata Ostrowska
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