The edge-to-edge repair of the iatrogenic torrential tricuspid regurgitation complicating transvenous pacemaker lead extraction: a case series

Abstract Background New tricuspid regurgitation (TR) or worsening of baseline pathology may appear after transvenous pacemaker lead extraction (TLE). In case of severe TR induced by TLE surgical correction might be required. However, the patients in whom TLE is performed are not always appropriate candidates for open heart intervention. Case Summary Herein we present four patients with iatrogenic TR significantly increased to severe-torrential grade after TLE who were disqualified from surgery. In three cases, the regurgitation was associated with an avulsion of the papillary muscles or chordae tendineae. In one case, it was likely due to the perforation of the tricuspid leaflet during TLE. Patients were treated with transcatheter tricuspid edge-to-edge repair (T-TEER), in three cases successfully. Discussion Percutaneous repair of TLE-related TR is feasible and may be a valuable therapeutic option in patients with prohibitive surgical risk. One of the most important factors leading to a T-TEER procedural success is the accurate assessment of the tricuspid regurgitation mechanism. In the fourth case, identification of the underlying regurgitation cause was limited by the image quality in transesophageal examination.