Rapid ventricular pacing to control resistant neonatal atrioventricular re-entrant tachycardias

A 3-week-old baby presented with recurrent supraventricular tachycardias unresponsive to medical treatment. Several DC shocks were required to terminate tachycardia. An abbreviated electrophysiological study was undertaken to determine the cause of the tachycardia. Rapid ventricular burst pacing successfully terminated repeated attacks of tachycardia until successful therapy with amiodarone was established. This patient demonstrates the value of pacemaker treatment of a resistant atrioventricular tachycardia in a neonate.