Effectiveness of early implantation of cardioverter defibrillator for postoperative ventricular tachyarrhythmia.
The effectiveness of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) implanted in the early postoperative period after cardiac surgery for ventricular tachyarrhythmias is unknown, because all of the major trials excluded this patient population. Thus, a 10-year retrospective study was conducted of patients who had ICDs implanted for de novo postoperative ventricular tachyarrhythmias during the index admission for cardiac surgery. There was a high rate of early recurrence of ventricular tachyarrhythmia treated by defibrillators, and this finding questions the exclusion of this important patient population from large trials.
Cardiac Arrhythmia Service, Lahey Clinic, Burlington, Massachusetts 01805, USA.
Islam
I
Bolad
Carolyne
C
MacLellan
Sree
S
Karanam
Florence
F
Parrella
Gregory
G
Michaud
Richard
R
D'Agostino
David
D
Shahian
Roy
R
John
David
D
Martin
D000368:Aged; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D011336:Probability; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016019:Survival Analysis; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome