Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Advances in pacing technology have increased indications for antibradycardia pacing and new indications have appeared for treatment of atrial tachycardia and cardiac failure in patients with congenital heart disease (CHD).

METHODS AND RESULTS:

Implantation of a pacemaker is mandatory for symptomatic children with complete atrio-ventricular block (CAVB). In asymptomatic neonates and infants, prophylactic pacing is indicated when the ventricular rhythm is <55 beats per minute (bpm) or 70 bpm in case of significant cardiac malformations. Beyond one year of age, PM implantation is recommended in children with an average heart rate <50 bpm or long pauses on 24-hour recordings. Post-operative block that persists 7 days after cardiac surgery is a class I indication for pacing. Postoperative heart block may also be transient, but patients with residual conduction abnormalities and a long HV interval have a high risk of late sudden death and should be paced. After cardiac surgery, atrial pacing may also be considered, in patients with severe sinus bradycardia and symptoms, or in those requiring antiarrhythmic drugs for tachy-bradycardia syndrome; in case of failure of antiarrhythmic drugs, antitachycardia atrial pacing now appears to be safe and efficacious. Finally, cardiac resynchronization therapy may apply to children with congenital heart block and cardiomyopathy, as well as to the population with CHD. Methods and results are described in the section dedicated to resynchronization.

CONCLUSION:

Cardiac pacing indications have extended beyond prevention of sudden death and pacemaker implantation is now indicated to improve quality of life of patients with CHD and as a bridge to cardiac transplantation.