Hypomagnesaemia, cardiac arrhythmias and orthotopic liver transplantation.
Two patients who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation and developed peroperative cardiac arrhythmias are presented. In one, the arrhythmias were refractory to treatment with anti-arrhythmic drug therapy until serum magnesium levels were restored to normal. The other patient had a low pre-operative serum magnesium level and developed atrial fibrillation on induction of, and during, anaesthesia. Patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation may be a group especially predisposed to hypomagnesaemia. The importance of monitoring serum magnesium levels in such patients who develop peroperative cardiac arrhythmias is emphasised.
Ranasinghe
D N
DN
Department of Anaesthesia, Royal Free Hospital, Hampstead, London.
Mallett
S V
SV
D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000097:blood*; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000097:blood*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008274:Magnesium / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000097:blood*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood
D008274:Magnesium; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium