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Control of Refractory Ventricular Tachycardia with Biventricular Assist Devices
Author(s) -
GEANNOPOULOS CHRIS J.,
WILDER DAVID J.,
OLSHANSKY BRIAN
Publication year - 1991
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.1540-8159.1991.tb02889.x
Subject(s) - medicine , cardiology , ventricular tachycardia , procainamide , cardiopulmonary bypass , lidocaine , anesthesia
A 65‐year‐old man developed incessant ventricular tachycardia following coronary artery bypass grafting while being weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass. The arrhythmia was refractory to procainamide, lidocaine, bretylium, and magnesium. Ventricular tachycardia subsided following reinitiation of cardiopulmonary bypass. Ultimately, the patient required ventricular assist devices to control his arrhythmia. This case is unique as the ventricular assist devices were used not for hemodynamic support, but for arrhythmia control. The mechanism of arrhythmia suppression may be related to contraction‐excitation coupling.