Supraventricular tachyarrhythmias, congenital heart disease, and sudden cardiac death.
The etiologies of sudden cardiac death following the surgical treatment of congenital heart defects remain uncertain. A young patient with prior repair of partial anomalous pulmonary venous return is presented, in whom brief episodes of a supraventricular tachyarrhythmia (rate 170/min) were documented to result in ventricular fibrillation. This unusual sequence may represent a basis for unexplained sudden cardiac death in other patients following atrial surgical procedures for the treatment of congenital heart disease.
Silka
M
M
Department of Pediatrics, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland 97201-3098.
Kron
J
J
McAnulty
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000473:pathology*; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000473:pathology*; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology; D013617:Tachycardia, Supraventricular / Q000473:pathology*; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000473:pathology