Conduction Abnormalities Associated with Tricuspid Annuloplasty in Cardiac Transplantation

Prophylactic DeVega tricuspid annuloplasty (DVA) of the donor heart has been reported to improve tricuspid regurgitation (TR), renal dysfunction, and mortality in cardiac transplant recipients. This is the first study to investigate the electrical, as well as, hemodynamic effects of DVA during orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT). Electrocardiographic, echocardiographic, and hemodynamic data of 76 patients with DVA and 104 patients without DVA who underwent OHT between 2013 and 2017 at Columbia University Medical Center (New York, NY) were studied. Patients with DVA were older (56.5 ± 1.2 vs. 52.4 ± 1.0 years of age; p = 0.017) and predominantly men (78% vs. 68%; p = 0.02). There were no significant differences in right ventricular function and TR. Patients with DVA had increased incidence of right bundle branch block compared with without DVA (37% ± 5.9% vs. 9% ± 2.9%; p < 0.001). Three patients with DVA developed complete heart block (CHB), whereas no patients without DVA developed CHB (p = 0.04). Four patients with DVA received a pacemaker (PPM), whereas only one patient in the without DVA group received a PPM. Complete heart block was significantly increased in patients who received prophylactic DVA. Possible risk of conduction abnormalities should be considered with performance of DVA annuloplasty in cardiac transplant recipients.