Change in Tricuspid Valve Function after Transvenous Lead Extraction, Predisposing Factors and Prognostic Roles.

Background: Changes in tricuspid valve (TV) function following transvenous lead extraction (TLE) and their impact on long-term survival have not yet been investigated.

Methods: From 3633 patients undergoing lead extraction between 2006 and 2021, TV function before and after TLE was evaluated in 2693 patients.

Results: After TLE, the TV function remained unchanged in 82.36% of patients, worsened in 9.54%, and improved in 8.10%. Abandoned leads (odds ratio, OR = 1.712; p = 0.044), fibrotic adhesions between leads and TV apparatus (OR = 3.596; p $<$ 0.001), or right ventricular wall (OR = 2.478; p $<$ 0.001) were predisposed to TV worsening. Non-infectious indications for TLE (OR = 1.925; p $<$ 0.001), the severity of tricuspid valve regurgitation (TVR) before TLE (OR = 3.125; p $<$ 0.001), and lead encapsulation (OR = 2.159; p $<$ 0.001) were predictors of improvement in TV function. Although either worsening or improving TV function had no impact on long-term survival in all patients, decreased TVR severity in the subgroup of patients with initial regurgitation grades 3-4 was associated with a better prognosis (hazard ratio, HR = 0.622; p = 0.005).

Conclusions: 1. Changes in TV function after TLE were observed in 17.64% of patients. 2. Various factors can predispose to lead-related TV changes, although the common denominator in these events is an extensive buildup of scar tissue. 3. Worsening TV function had no impact on survival after TLE. In patients with severe TV dysfunction, reduction in TVR following TLE was associated with a 40% reduction in mortality during a mean follow-up of 1673 days.