Application of rapid artificial cardiac pacing in thoracic endovascular aortic repair in aged patients

OBJECTIVE: To compare the safety, efficacy, and impact on stent graft positioning between rapid artificial cardiac pacing (RACP), induced hypotension and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) induced hypotension during thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for Stanford B aortic dissection. METHODS: One hundred and sixty-eight patients, who were diagnosed with Stanford B aortic dissection and who underwent selective TEVAR in Guangdong General Hospital and the People’s Hospital of Baoan District, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China, were enrolled in this study. Patients were randomly divided into a RACP group (n=77) and a SNP group (n=91). During localization and deployment of the stent graft, hypotension was induced by RACP or intravenous SNP, according to randomization. Hemodynamics, landing precision (deviation from planned placement site), duration of procedure, renal function, neurocognitive function, and incidence of endoleaks and paraplegia/hemiplegia were compared. Except for methods of inducing hypotension, TEVAR was performed according to the same protocol in each group. RESULTS: RACP was successfully performed in all patients assigned to the RACP group. Compared with the SNP group, blood pressure was significantly lower (43±5 versus 81±6 mmHg, P=0.003) and the restoration time of blood pressure and the operation duration were significantly shorter (7±2 versus 451±87 seconds, P<0.001; 87±15 versus 106±18 minutes, P<0.001, respectively) in the RACP group. Stent graft localization/deployment was more precise in the RACP group (2±1 versus 5±2 mm, P<0.001). Compared to baseline, there was no significant change after TEVAR in either group in regard to renal function, neurocognitive function, and incidence of endoleaks and paraplegia/hemiplegia. CONCLUSION: RACP can be safely applied to patients undergoing TEVAR for Stanford B dissection. RACP can shorten the operation duration and facilitate precise graft localization/deployment.