title: Cardiac conduction abnormalities and rhythm changes after neonatal anatomical correction of transposition of the great arteries.
abstract: Seventy three infants who underwent neonatal anatomical correction for transposition of the great arteries with or without a ventricular septal defect were reviewed for evidence of conduction and rhythm abnormalities on preoperative and postoperative 12 lead electrocardiograms and during 24 hour Holter monitoring. There was a partial right bundle branch block pattern in 47% (29/62) of all patients and in 60% (24/40) of those with simple transposition. Complete right bundle branch block was noted in 21% including 5% with simple transposition. Holter monitoring showed sinus rhythm in all patients except three: one had episodes of supraventricular tachycardia, another an intermittent second degree heart block, and a third a complete heart block. Atrial extrasystoles were noted in 47% (29/62) of patients but were frequent in only three patients. Occasional unifocal ventricular extrasystoles were encountered in 37% (23/62) of patients and were frequent in a further 3% (2/62). Only one patient (2%) developed multifocal ventricular extrasystoles. The frequency of important cardiac arrhythmias after neonatal anatomical correction of transposition of the great arteries was 5%, significantly less than that reported after atrial inflow diversion for the same malformation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Menahem
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ranjit
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Brawn
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Mee
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
mesh_terms: D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002037:Bundle-Branch Block / Q000503:physiopathology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014188:Transposition of Great Vessels / Q000601:surgery*