BACKGROUND: Epimyocardial pacemaker leads has been progressively given-up due to poorer results in comparison to endocardial pacing. Transthoracic transatrial endocardial lead placement has been described to avoid epicardial pacing in special situations. Permanent pacing associated to open heart surgery is a special situation when epicardial leads have been implanted at the same procedure or endocardial leads have been inserted with an independent approach. OBJECTIVE: To propose transatrial endocardial pacemaker in cases of concomitance of permanent pacing and open heart surgery and to report our experience with this technique in 6 patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From July 83 to August 94, 6 patients, 5 to 64 years old, 4 male and 2 female, were submitted to open heart surgery for aortic valve replacement (4), Chaga's disease left ventricular aneurysm resection (1) and atrioseptoplasty and pulmonary valve comissurotomy (1 patient). At the same procedure, atrioventricular (5) or atrial (1 case) pacemaker were implanted. The surgical technique consisted in stablishing cardiopulmonary bypass with two separated vena cava canulas and, under cardioplegic arrest, to correct the cardiac defect and to implant the leads through a rigth atriotomy, at the same procedure. AH the 6 patiens received atrial endocardial lead while only 4 patients were submitted to ventricular endocardial implantation. The pulse generators were implanted in the infra-clavicular region in the 4 male adults, in the submammary position in the woman and in the abdominal wall in the child. RESULTS: Intra-operative measurements showed excellent conditions for pacing and sensing. No peroperative complication occurred. After a 4 to 137 months follow-up period no complications related to the pacemaker were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The authors conclude that transatrial endocardial pacemaker implantation may represent a good option to avoid epicardial leads or two independent procedures when permanent pacing is associated to open heart surgery.
pacemakers, cardiac; cardiac stimulation, artificial