An electrocardiographic midterm follow-up study after anatomic repair of transposition of the great arteries.
Prospective studies of rhythm and conduction, before and after 1-stage anatomic repair of simple transposition of the great arteries, were performed on 24 survivors. Pre- and postsurgical serial standard electrocardiograms were obtained on each patient. Fourteen patients underwent perioperative 24-hour electrocardiograms; all had follow-up 24-hour electrocardiograms. Rare atrial or occasional ventricular premature complexes were detected in 3 (11%) patients before operation. After surgery, 1 patient developed right bundle branch block. Two patients developed a left bundle branch block. One patient had a QS pattern in V6, which disappeared on follow-up electrocardiogram. Transient second-degree atrioventricular block was detected in 1 patient. A normal P-R interval and P-wave axis were present in all but 1 patient. Mild sinus bradycardia or rare atrial or ventricular premature complexes were detected in 4 of twenty-nine 24-hour electrocardiograms performed in the first 2 years after surgery. At 3 years after repair, 5 patients had a normal 24-hour electrocardiogram and 1 had low-grade ectopy (rare atrial and ventricular premature complexes). At 4 years, all 4 patients studied had normal 24-hour electrocardiograms. During a mean follow-up of 3 years, we have yet to document any symptomatic arrhythmias.
Villafane
J
J
Department of Pediatrics, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Kentucky 40292.
White
S
S
Elbl
F
F
Rees
A
A
Solinger
R
R
D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014188:Transposition of Great Vessels / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*