Novel use of pulmonary artery catheter as a rail during implantation of
leadless pacemaker across EVOQUE transcatheter tricuspid valve
Abstract
Introduction : With the recent Food and Drug Administration approval
in February 2024 of the EVOQUE transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement
(TTVR) system, and with at least 15% occurrence of conductional
disorder requiring pacemaker implant, there will be an increasing need
to implant leadless devices across TTVR valves. We report a case where
the use of a pulmonary artery (PA) catheter facilitated navigation of
the delivery catheter across a newly implanted EVOQUE valve in a
severely enlarged right atrium (RA) and resulted in a successful
implantation of an AVEIR VR leadless pacemaker (LP). Methods and
Results : An 81-year-old woman with persistent atrioventricular block
following implant of an EVOQUE TTVR system was referred for an AVEIR VR
LP implant. Because of a severely enlarged RA, deflection of the
delivery catheter was not sufficient to reach and engage the TTVR lumen.
Using a steerable introducer, a PA catheter was advanced through the
TTVR and positioned in the right PA. An extra-stiff guidewire was
advanced through the PA catheter to straighten and provide stiffness. By
tethering the delivery catheter to the PA catheter using a 90-degrere
loop snare, the delivery catheter was advanced through the TTVR, guided
by the PA catheter that functioned as a rail. Once within the right
ventricle, the delivery catheter was able to successfully implant the LP
onto the apical septum. Conclusion : As both TTVR and LP implants
become more widely performed, the need to implant LP devices in patients
with TTVR valves will only increase. Implanting an LP through a TTVR
valve can be challenging when there is severe RA enlargement and
delivery catheter deflection is not sufficient to reach and engage the
valve lumen. While changes in delivery catheter design may eventually
provide more effective deflection range, using a PA catheter as a rail
for the delivery catheter can be an effective technique.