Heart failure & cardiomyopathiesCohort study
Radiofrequency current–facilitated implantation of left bundle branch pacing lead for cardiac resynchronization therapy
- Case series
Authors' conclusion
RF-facilitated LBBP lead implantation is a feasible technique with potential cautious use as a bailout in selected cases, especially for failed CRT delivery.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with challenging left bundle branch pacing (LBBP) lead implantation, most cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) eligible, in whom radiofrequency (RF) current was delivered to the lead tip for septal electrosection37 RF-facilitated lead implantations in 36 patients
- Participants
- 36 patients
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
RF use per implantation
RF applications per implantation
2.1 ± 1.7
Seconds of RF
2.6 ± 2.2 seconds
Median power
27 W
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
RF delivery used to achieve a current of injury drop not obtainable with manual lead rotation alone
- Share of cases
- 85.7%
Lead implantation success
- Successful in all but 2 cases
Lead performance (pacing parameters and lead stability) · follow-up
- Follow-up threshold
- 0.8 ± 0.3 V
- Sensitivity
- 12.0 ± 5.6 mV
- good and did not seem to be affected by RF use
Follow-up duration
- Mean follow-up duration
- 236 ± 165 days
Safety
Proarrhythmia and complications
- Patients with sustained ventricular tachycardia
- 1
- In all other cases proarrhythmia absent or self-limited; no other complications
Original publication
Radiofrequency current–facilitated implantation of left bundle branch pacing lead for cardiac resynchronization therapy. Heart Rhythm. Published 10 April 2026. doi:10.1016/j.hrthm.2026.03.1943
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it