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Arrhythmias after pediatric lung transplantation
T M Hoffman1, L A Rhodes, T S Wieand
1Division of Cardiology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 34th and Civic Center Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Pediatric Transplantation
|September 19, 2001
Summary
Pediatric lung transplant recipients rarely experience significant arrhythmias. This study found that most arrhythmias observed were infrequent and did not require treatment, suggesting a low incidence of cardiac rhythm complications post-transplant.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Thoracic Surgery
- Pediatric Medicine
Background:
- Atrial arrhythmias are known complications following cardiac surgery with extensive atrial suture lines.
- Experimental data suggests left atrial suture lines may increase the risk of atrial flutter after lung transplantation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively screen and describe the incidence and types of arrhythmias in pediatric lung transplant recipients.
- To address the lack of previous data on arrhythmias in this specific patient population.
Main Methods:
- Prospective screening of seven pediatric bilateral lung transplant recipients over one year.
- Continuous, full-disclosure telemetry monitoring with daily beat-by-beat electrocardiogram analysis.
- Data collected over 314 patient days.
Main Results:
- The most common arrhythmias included junctional escape rhythm (4.8%) and non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (4.1%).
- No cases of sustained supraventricular tachycardia, atrial flutter, atrial fibrillation, or complete heart block were observed.
- Arrhythmias required treatment in only two patients, with one receiving amiodarone for ventricular tachycardia.
Conclusions:
- Arrhythmias are uncommon in pediatric lung transplant recipients undergoing transplant surgery.
- The majority of observed arrhythmias are infrequent and rarely necessitate therapeutic intervention.
- Lung transplantation in pediatric patients appears to have a low risk of significant cardiac rhythm disturbances.