Anesthetic management of electrophysiology procedures.
OBJECTIVE
Cardiac arrhythmias are a major source of morbidity and mortality. Many of these patients require diagnostic or therapeutic intervention in an electrophysiology laboratory with involvement of an anesthesiologist. The goal of this review is to provide the anesthesiologist with a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying various arrhythmias; specific procedures performed for diagnosis and treatment, and associated risks.


RESULTS
With the introduction of new interventional electrophysiology techniques, anesthesiologists are facing new challenges during perioperative management of these complex procedures and patients.


CONCLUSIONS
By reviewing the current literature regarding electrophysiology procedures, this review will provide information essential to the anesthesiologist to safely care for this unique patient population.
Department of Anesthesiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Jason
J
Chua
Komal
K
Patel
Jacques
J
Neelankavil
Aman
A
Mahajan
D000758:Anesthesia / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D058406:Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D022062:Electrophysiologic Techniques, Cardiac / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial