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Intraoperative use of dual-chamber demand pacemakers for open heart operations
1Department of Surgery, Wake Forest University Medical Center, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Abstract:
The availability of external atrioventricular sequential pacemakers has improved the management of patients with sinus bradycardia, junctional rhythm, and atrioventricular block. However, these pacemakers are of less value in patients with postoperative heart block and accelerated atrial rhythms. The temporary use of a modified explanted dual-chamber demand pacemaker may counteract that problem by providing atrially triggered, P-wave-synchronous ventricular pacing. We report 2 patients in whom the temporary use of the dual-chamber demand pacemaker greatly facilitated weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass after coronary artery bypass grafting.