title: Antitachycardia pacemaker treatment of postoperative arrhythmias in pediatric patients.
abstract: An automatic antitachycardia pulse generator (Intertach 262-12) was implanted in each of six pediatric patients (mean age, 10 years) with drug-resistant and persistent postoperative supraventricular arrhythmias. Four had bradycardia-tachycardia syndrome, two after a Mustard procedure for transposition of the great arteries, one after a Senning procedure for the same anomaly, and one after a Fontan procedure for univentricular heart with transposition of the great arteries. Of the two remaining patients, one had atrial flutter after a modified Fontan procedure for univentricular heart and one had intra-atrial reentry tachycardia after a modified Fontan procedure for double-outlet right ventricle with pulmonary stenosis. During a mean follow-up interval of 31 months after implantation, pacemakers were activated on multiple occasions and functioned appropriately in all six patients. Complications necessitated six invasive interventions in three patients: erosion or infection of the system, adaptor fracture, and connector block fracture on one occasion each and lead dislodgment on three occasions. Four of the six patients continued to take drugs at the end of this study; however, all patients had their drug therapy reduced and one was taking digoxin only. The number of hospital admissions decreased after implantation. Despite a number of technical challenges, this newer multiprogrammable antitachycardia pacemaker appears to be a valuable addition to the treatment of refractory postoperative supraventricular tachyarrhythmias in pediatric patients.
authors.affiliation: Section of Pediatric Cardiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fukushige
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: McGoon
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Osborn
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Vlietstra
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000628:therapy*; D001282:Atrial Flutter / Q000628:therapy; D001919:Bradycardia / Q000628:therapy; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000601:surgery; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000628:therapy*; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000628:therapy*; D013617:Tachycardia, Supraventricular / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents