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Particularities of Dual Chamber Pacemaker Therapy in Patients after Orthotopic Heart Transplantation
Author(s) -
MARKEWITZ ANDREAS,
KEMKES BERNHARD M.,
REBLE BERNHARD,
OSTERHOLZER GEORG,
REICHART BRUNO,
PURICELII CESARE,
FERUGLIO GIORGIO A.,
STERNOTTI GIULIO,
BEHRENBEGK DIETER W.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
pacing and clinical electrophysiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.686
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1540-8159
pISSN - 0147-8389
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-8159.1987.tb05972.x
Subject(s) - medicine , atrial fibrillation , single chamber , cardiology , heart transplantation , transplantation , population , sick sinus syndrome , cardiac pacemaker , surgery , anesthesia , environmental health
Since August 1981, 33 orthotopic heart transplantations were performed in our hospital. Three of these patients (9%) had sinus bradycardias with rates as low as 30 beats/min; they were treated by implantation of a dual chamber pacemaker. Those patients had two atria as a result of orthotopic heart transplantation, but only the donor atrium was suitable for positioning the atrial lead. In the postoperative period, some nonsurgical complications were observed in one patient who developed atrial fibrillation which we treated with drugs. A cyclosporin‐evoked tremor produced several asystoles due to false inhibition by myopotential interference in the VVI mode. During an episode of acute rejection combined with renal insufficiency, loss of atrial and ventricular sensing occurred. The other patients showed no pacemaker‐related complications. Our findings in this unique population of pacemaker patients are discussed.