Patients with long Q-T syndrome: a caveat for the oral surgeon

Three children with long Q-T syndrome were admitted to the hospital for elective minor oral surgery. Patients afflicted with this syndrome often have a family history of recurrent syncope, prolongation of the Q-T interval on the electrocardiogram, sometimes deaf mutism, and occasionally sudden death. Their cardiac dysrhythmias are controlled by a variety of medications, all of which must be understood before the oral surgical procedure is undertaken, so that potentially lethal events can be recognized and dealt with appropriately. The management of two of the three patients was further complicated by juvenile-onset diabetes mellitus.