Single chamber permanent epicardial pacing for children with congenital heart disease after surgical repair

Background: To analyze the 10-year experience of single chamber permanent epicardial pacemaker placement for children with congenital heart diseases (CHD) after surgical repair. Methods: Between 2002 and 2014, a total of 35 patients with CHD (age: 26.9 +/- 23.2 months, weight: 9.7 +/- 5.6 kg) received permanent epicardial pacemaker placement following corrective surgery. Echocardiography and programming information of the pacemaker, as well as major adverse cardiac events (MACE) as heart failure or sudden death, were recorded during follow-up (46.8 +/- 33.8 months). Results: Acute ventricular stimulation threshold was 1.34 +/- 0.72 V and no significant increase was observed at the last follow-up as 1.37 +/- 0.81 V (p = 0.93). Compared with initial pacemaker implantation, the last follow-up didn't show significant increases in impedance (p = 0.327) or R wave (p = 0.635). Four patients received pacemaker replacement because of battery depletion. 7/35 (20 %) of patients experienced MACE. Although the age and body weight were similar between patients with and without MACE, the patients with MACE were with complex CHD (100 % vs. 55.6 %, p = 0.04). Conclusion: High-degree iatrogenic atrioventricular block was the primary reason for placement of epicardial pacemaker for patients with CHD after surgical repair. Pacemaker placement with the steroid-eluting leads results in acceptable outcomes, however, the pacemaker type should be optimized for the children with complex CHD.