Conduction Disorders after Rapid Deployment Aortic Valve Replacement Compared to Conventional Aortic Valve Replacement

We evaluated and compared early postprocedural and midterm incidence and evolution of atrioventricular and intraventricular conduction disorders following rapid deployment aortic valve replacement (RDAVR) and conventional aortic valve replacement (AVR).One hundred and forty-seven patients who underwent isolated rapid deployment AVR between 2017 and 2021 as well as 128 patients after conventional biological AVR in the same period were included in this study. ECGs recorded at baseline, discharge, and 12 months were retrospectively analyzed. Intrinsic rhythm, PQ interval, QRS duration, and atrioventricular and intraventricular conduction were evaluated and compared between both groups.Patients in both groups had comparable Society of Thoracic surgeons risc (STS) scores (2.9 ± 1.6 vs. 3.1 ± 2.2, <i>p</i> = 0.32) and comparable baseline characteristics. The mean age was 73.4 ± 5.7 years in the RDAVR group and 74.2 ± 5.9 years in the AVR group, respectively. At baseline, the mean QRS width was 95.7 ± 25.5 ms in the RDAVR group, and 97.3 ± 23.5 ms in the AVR group, respectively (<i>p</i> = 0.590). At discharge, the mean QRS width in the RDAVR group was significantly increased with 117.4 ± 28.6 ms and a mean ΔQRS width of 21.7 ± 26.3 ms (<i>p</i> < 0.001) compared with baseline. No significant changes in QRS width were found in the AVR group with a mean value of 101.2 ± 24.1 ms and a mean ΔQRS width of 3.9 ± 23.9 ms at discharge (<i>p</i> = 0.193). The left bundle branch block (LBBB) was increased in the RDAVR group after 12 months (19.3% vs. 5.1%, <i>p</i> < 0.001). Permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI) rates were significantly higher in the RDAVR group after 12 months (hazard ratio (HR): 4.68; 95% CI: 2.23-7.43, <i>p</i> < 0.001). Mortality did not differ between both groups after 12 months (HR: 1.09; 95% CI: 0.46-1.83, <i>p</i> = 0.835)Patients after RDAVR showed significantly higher rates of LBBB and PPI after 12 months. However, higher mortality was not observed in the RDAVR group.