Noninvasive external pacing in the newborn

Complete atrioventricular block in the newborn occasionally requires emerge ncy intervention when the heart rate is too low to provide adequate cardiac output. While medications are frequently ineffective, emergent implantatio n of a pacemaker is not always feasible and carries a significant morbidity . We report two cases of complete atrioventricular block in newborns treate d immediately after birth with an external noninvasive pacemaker system.