The Lead Episode 149: Heart Rhythm 2026 Late-Breaker Coverage: A Discussion of Safety and Performance of a Novel ICD Lead for Left Bundle Branch Area Pacing: Results from the ASCEND CSP Trial

Welcome to the latest episode of late-breaker coverage from Heart Rhythm 2026 in Chicago, with host Deep Chandh Raja, MBBS, MD, PhD, FHRS and his guests Paul Chun Yih Lim, MBBS, FHRS and Abhishek Deshmukh, MD. This discussion reviews the late-breaking HRS 2026 trial Safety and Performance of a Novel ICD Lead for Left Bundle Branch Area Pacing: Results from the ASCEND CSP Trial Arrhythmia, which evaluated a novel implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) lead designed specifically for left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP). Faculty discuss the safety profile, implant success, pacing performance, and clinical implications of conduction system pacing using dedicated ICD technology, as well as how these findings may influence future device implantation strategies and physiologic pacing approaches in patients requiring defibrillator therapy.   Learning Objectives Assess the safety and procedural performance outcomes associated with left bundle branch area pacing in patients requiring ICD therapy.  Evaluate the potential role of conduction system pacing technologies in advancing physiologic pacing and device-based arrhythmia management. Describe the design and intended clinical application of the novel ICD lead evaluated in the ASCEND CSP trial.    Podcast Contributors Deep Chandh Raja, MBBS, MD, PhD, FHRS Paul Chun Yih Lim, MBBS, FHRS Abhishek Deshmukh, MD   Host and Contributor Disclosure(s): D.C. Raja Nothing to disclose. A. Deshmukh Honoraria/Speaking/Teaching/Consulting: GE Healthcare, Biotronik, Medtronic, Biosense Webster Research: AltaThera Pharmaceuticals P. Lim Nothing to disclose.