title: [Syncope in the act of swallowing (swallowing syncope)].
abstract: In a 30-year-old female patient with recurrent syncope during swallowing, intermittent complete AV-block was documented as the underlying mechanism. This phenomenon could be provoked by inflating a balloon positioned in the lower esophagus. The His-bundle electrocardiogram, recorded simultaneously, showed a progressive increase of the normal AH-interval, up to complete block distal to the A-wave. Atropine prevented induction of the block. After implantation of a VVI pacemaker, the symptoms disappeared completely. This very rare phenomenon of swallowing syncope is probably due to a pathologic vago-vagal reflex.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik, Universität Tübingen.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ickrath
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Haasis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jendrychowski
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Seipel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001919:Bradycardia / Q000503:physiopathology; D002036:Bundle of His / Q000503:physiopathology; D003679:Deglutition; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004947:Esophagus / Q000294:innervation; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000503:physiopathology; D006327:Heart Block / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D013575:Syncope / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology
vernacular_title: Synkopen beim Schluckakt (sog. Schlucksynkopen).