Intra-operative arrhythmia predicts post-operative arrhythmia and the need for temporary pacing wires

Protocols for the placement of temporary pacing wires vary among institutions. Our current protocol is to selectively place temporary pacing wires in those patients who develop haemodynamically significant intra-operative arrhythmia. We wished to identify how effective our current protocol is at identifying who will develop post-operative arrhythmia and need temporary pacing wires.

The charts of 880 patients over 8 years who underwent cardiopulmonary bypass were reviewed to find patients who developed intra-operative arrhythmia, had temporary pacing wires placed, and whether or not they developed post-operative arrhythmia and required utilisation of the pacing wires.

A total of 87 (9.9%) out of 880 patients who required cardiopulmonary bypass over 8 years had intra-operative arrhythmia and had temporary pacing wires placed. Of these, 59 (67.8%) had post-operative arrhythmia and utilised the pacing wires, whereas 28 (32.2%) did not have post-operative arrhythmia or utilise the pacing wires. In all, seven patients who did not have intra-operative arrhythmia or temporary pacing wires placed developed post-operative arrhythmia.

Intra-operative arrhythmia is predictive of post-operative arrhythmia (70.2%) and our protocol is a sensitive means of identifying those who will develop post-operative arrhythmia (89.3%).