title: Ventricular tachycardia related to transcutaneous pacing.
abstract: A 3-year-old child with Haemophilus influenzae endocarditis and aortic route abscesses presented with sudden cardiovascular collapse. During resuscitation, the child was noted to be in complete heart block. Transcutaneous pacing was instituted three times, and ventricular dysrhythmias were associated with each pacing attempt. When pacing was discontinued, the patient spontaneously reverted to complete heart block without ventricular ectopy. An emergency thoracotomy revealed rupture of the aortic route, and the patient died during surgery. Transcutaneous pacing may precipitate serious dysrhythmias; appropriate precautions are recommended.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Béland
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Hesslein
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Rowe
mesh_terms: D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004630:Emergencies; D006327:Heart Block / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology