Evaluation and Validation of Management Strategy for Conductive Disorders After TAVR (EVATAVI)

Overview

Considering decrease of major complications and improvement of procedural results, conductive disorders currently remain the main issue after TAVR (Transcatheter aortic valve replacement). While pacemaker implantation rate was about 10-15%, new onset LBBB (Left bundle branch block) was observed in 30 % of patients after TAVR but resolved at discharge in the majority of them, with less than 20% progressed to complete AV (atrioventricular) block requiring permanent pacing at hospital discharge. Higher implantation and improvement of the devices were associated with decline of pace maker implantation rate over the years in experienced teams. While guidelines do not give definite recommendation regarding conductive disorder management and pacemaker indication, a strategy of selective telemetry monitoring (TM) after TAVR according to the risk of conductive disorders may be proposed to limit indication and lenght of stay of intensive care unit admission (ICU), allowing direct admission of lower risk patients in general cardiology ward (GCW) without TM, to decrease the duration of TM when a conductive disorder is stable or regressive and finally to decrease the rate of pacemakers implantation. Potential benefit may also include limitation of ICU overload in high volume TAVR centers, investigators can also expect shorter hospitalization duration, with potential economic impact, in line with the development of algorithms for fast track procedures. Therefore the main objective of our prospective study was to evaluate feasibility and safety of a strategy of management of conductive disorders after TAVR based on an algorithm of diagnosis, monitoring and therapeutic strategies based on ECG analysis.

TAVR is now the reference method for the treatment of severe aortic stenosis in the elderly population. Regarding its good results, indications have recently been extended to younger, lower-risk patients. With the decrease in serious complications, severe conductive disorders requiring the implantation of a pacemaker have thus become the main complications of TAVR. Despite the experience of operators and modified implantation techniques and in absence of specific recommendations, the rate of pacemaker implantation after a TAVR procedure levels off between 10% and 20% regardless of the prosthesis used and with highly variable rates depending on the center. In the vast majoriy of cases, the conductive disorders only justify the monitoring of patients in ICU after the procedure, However, majority of conductive disorders will be regressive or stable and will not justify a permanent pacemaker implantation. Furthemore, this systematic monitoring contributes to unnecessarily overcrowding of these medical structures. Investigators thus put forward the hypothesis that by using a defined strategy for screening and monitoring conductive disorders occurring after a TAVR procedure, and by taking into account the recommendations on indication of definitive cardiac pacing, it would be possible to rationalize both the indications, the duration of monitoring (by telemetry/CICU or conventional sector) and the definitive pacemaker indication. Investigators thus hope, thanks to this rationalized strategy, to reduce the indications and durations of monitoring by telemetry or CICU after a TAVR and to shorten the durations of overall hospitalization, but also to reduce the indication for permanent cardiac pacing without risk for the patient.