Author(s)

Barry Swerdlow

Department of Anesthesia, Los Robles Regional Medical Center, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360, USA.

The appropriate preparation of the patient with asymptomatic congenital complete heart block (CCHB) and a narrow QRS complex for elective non-cardiac surgery is controversial. Prophylactic temporary pacemaker insertion is associated with well-defined risks, and less invasive techniques exist to treat transient, hemodynamically significant intraoperative brady-arrhythmias. The present case report details the performance of general anesthesia for arthroscopic knee surgery in an adult patient with this condition without a pacemaker. Documentation of preoperative chronotropic competence with isoproterenol may be of value in deciding whether to proceed without temporary pacing capability in this setting.

Congenital Complete Heart Block, Pacemaker, Non-Cardiac Surgery

Swerdlow, B. (2018) Do Patients with Asymptomatic Congenital Complete Heart Block Require a Pacemaker for Non-Cardiac Surgery?. Open Journal of Anesthesiology, 8, 130-135. doi: 10.4236/ojanes.2018.84014.