IMR Press / RCM / Volume 23 / Issue 4 / DOI: 10.31083/j.rcm2304143
Open Access Original Research
DefiPaceTM System, A New Device for Cardioversion of Atrial Fibrillation After Cardiac Surgery — Preliminary Results
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1 Department of Cardiac Surgery, Artemed Klinikum München Süd, 81379 Munich, Germany
2 Department of Cardiac Surgery, Paracelsus Medical University, 90471 Nuremberg, Germany
3 Department of Cardiology, Artemed Klinikum München Süd, 81379 Munich, Germany
4 Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, 81379 Munich, Germany
5 Cardiac Surgery Unit, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University “Magna Graecia" of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
*Correspondence: helmut.mair@artemed.de (Helmut Mair)
These authors contributed equally.
Academic Editors: Buddhadeb Dawn and Boyoung Joung
Rev. Cardiovasc. Med. 2022, 23(4), 143; https://doi.org/10.31083/j.rcm2304143
Submitted: 13 December 2021 | Revised: 18 February 2022 | Accepted: 25 February 2022 | Published: 12 April 2022
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights in Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation)
Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.
This is an open access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Abstract

Objectives: Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is a frequent complication following cardiac surgery. This study examined the safety and efficacy of the new DefiPaceTM system consisting of two bi-atrial temporary pacing and cardioversion electrodes, a ventricular electrode and the DefiPaceTM device (combined external pacemaker and cardioverter) for low-energy atrial cardioversion. Methods: The temporary electrodes were placed on the left and right atrium during open heart surgery. Pacing thresholds and sensing were measured up to the 6th postoperative day. The satisfactory handling of the electrodes was measured with a visual analog scale (VAS) 1–10, with 10 being the best and 1 being the lowest. In case of POAF, R-wave synchronous low-energy shocks (0.5–10 J) were applied for cardioversion. Results: Temporary electrodes were implanted in 29 patients (age 65.6 ± 10.4 years; 21 males, 14 OPCAB, 15 on-pump cardiac operations). Left or right atrial pacing thresholds ranged from 1.9 ± 1.3 V/ms to 5.0 ± 3.3 V/ms and P-wave sensing from 0.9 ± 0.6 mV to 1.5 ± 0.7 mV. VAS for handling of electrodes: implantation 7.1 ± 0.8 and removal 8.4 ± 1.0. POAF was observed in four patients. Two patients had successful atrial cardioversion with 3.5 J and 4.5 J. One patient converted spontaneously, and one patient remained in PAOF. There were no device-related adverse events. Conclusions: The DefiPaceTM system can be used safely in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Keywords
atrial fibrillation
postoperative atrial fibrillation
POAF
temporary atrial pacing wires
postoperative cardioversion
Figures
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