Key result
Epicardial pacing wire removal carries a ~1.7% complication rate, primarily retention, arrhythmia, and delayed discharge.
Why the study?
Pacing wire removal after cardiac surgery has been associated with complications, prompting a summary of the existing literature.
What is the incidence of complications associated with epicardial pacing wire removal following adult cardiac surgery?
Population
18,453 patients across six studies after cardiac surgery
Comparison
Earlier removal (within 48-72 hours) vs later removal (after 72 hours)
Design
Systematic review
Authors
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Low complication rates support routine epicardial wire removal post-adult cardiac surgery; extends pooled incidence data for timing optimization trials.
Systematic Review (n=18,453)
What is the incidence of complications associated with epicardial pacing wire removal following adult cardiac surgery?
Epicardial pacing wire removal after cardiac surgery has a low overall complication rate of 1.74%, but carries specific risks such as arrhythmia, wire retention, and tamponade that are influenced by the timing of removal.
Mubarak et al. (2023) conducted a systematic review in Adult cardiac surgery requiring epicardial pacing wires (n=18,453). Epicardial pacing wire removal was evaluated on Overall complication rate. Epicardial pacing wire removal following adult cardiac surgery was associated with an overall complication rate of 1.74%, most commonly wire retention, arrhythmia, and delayed discharge.
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