Temporary epicardial pacing wires in isolated Coronary Artery Bypass Graft: Necessity or force of habit?

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the frequency of Temporary epicardial pacing wires usage and its predictors in the
immediate postoperative period in isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
Method: The longitudinal study was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from September
2019 to August 2020, and comprised adult patients of either gender who underwent isolated coronary artery
bypass graft in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery. Demographic, peri-operative and post-operative
Temporary Epicardial Pacing Wires use data was extracted from patient's files and the institutional electronic
database. Logistic regression models were built to explore predictors of Temporary epicardial pacing wires usage.
Data was analysed using SPSS 22.
Results: Of the 322 cases evaluated, 27(8.4%) required the use of Temporary Epicardial Pacing Wires. Mean age of
the patients requiring temporary epicardial pacing wires was 66.3±8.9 years compared to 58.7±8.9 years in those
who did not require it (p<0.001), while the left ventricular ejection fraction percentage was 44.1±12.8 and 48.9±12.8
respectively (p=0.032). After adjusting for clinically plausible demographics and peri-operative variables, increasing
age and low left ventricular ejection fraction were significantly associated with the use of temporary epicardial
pacing wires in post-operative period of isolated coronary artery bypass graft patients (p<0.05).
Conclusions: The frequency of temporary epicardial pacing wires usage in the post-operative period of coronary
artery bypass graft was found to be low.
Keywords: Arrhythmias, Adult cardiac surgery, Electrodes, Post-operative, Temporary Epicardial pacing.