Sutureless Aortic Valve and Pacemaker Rate: From Surgical Tricks to Clinical Outcomes

BackgroundSeveral studies reported high rates of postoperative permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation, which has been described as the “Achilles’ heel” of sutureless aortic valve replacement (AVR).MethodsFrom July 2010 to December 2017, 3,158 patients with symptomatic, severe aortic valve stenosis were referred to the Department of Cardiac Surgery (Klinikum Nürnberg - Paraclesus Medical University, Nuremberg, Germany), and 512 received a...