Unusual Cause of Intraoperative Asystole During Thoracotomy: A Case Report

Thoracotomies are classified as moderate to high-risk surgeries due to the preponderance of complex anatomic structures, cardiac dysrhythmias, and respiratory insufficiency. The right vagus nerve innervates the sinoatrial node and controls the heart rate. The parasympathetic activation of the sinoatrial node can lead to bradyarrhythmias. The anatomic aortopulmonary window contains lymph nodes and the left vagus nerve. The occurrence of sudden asystole due to left vagus nerve stimulation is extremely rare. We report an unusual case of intraoperative asystole related to electrosurgical stimulation of the left vagus nerve that required cardiopulmonary resuscitation and cardiac massage.