Predictors for the need of permanent pacemaker implantation (PPMI) in the context of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) are not well defined yet. We evaluated the impact of conduction disturbances, calcium volume of the device landing zone, oversizing and implantation depth on PPMI after TAVI with the balloon-expandable Edwards Sapien 3 (ES3).

335 consecutive patients undergoing transfemoral TAVI with the ES3 for the treatment of symptomatic severe aortic stenosis were included (clinicaltrials NCT02162069). Rate of PPMI after TAVI was 18.4%, excluding patients with permanent pacemakers prior to TAVI or valve-in-valve implantations. Patients requiring PPMI more often had first degree atrioventricular block (AVB) at baseline (48.7 vs. 16.5%, p < 0.01), preprocedural complete right bundle branch block (RBBB; 25.0 vs. 3.9%, p < 0.01) and higher calcium volume of the aortic valve (258.5 ± 317.3 vs. 163.6 ± 178.8 mm³, p < 0.01). There was a trend towards higher rate of PPMI in patients with new-onset left bundle branch block after TAVI (32.7 vs. 20.7%, p = 0.06). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that baseline first degree AVB (odds ratio 3.9, 95% confidence interval 1.73–9.10, p < 0.01) and preprocedural complete RBBB (odds ratio 4.5, 95% confidence interval 1.50–13.21, p < 0.01) were independent predictors of PPMI. Of note, neither oversizing nor implantation depth were independent predictors for need of PPMI with the ES3.

In patients treated with the ES3 for symptomatic severe aortic stenosis first degree AVB and complete RBBB at baseline were independently associated with higher rates of postprocedural PPMI, whereas implantation depth and oversizing did not have an impact on PPMI.