Sl. Jones et Ra. Mason, Laser surgery in a patient with Romano-Ward (long QT) syndrome and an automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator, ANAESTHESIA, 55(4), 2000, pp. 362-366
Citations number
24
Categorie Soggetti
Aneshtesia & Intensive Care","Medical Research Diagnosis & Treatment
A 48-year-old women with Romano-Ward syndrome (a hereditary long QT syndrom
e), asthma and an automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator presente
d for laser surgery for debulking of a massive nasopharyngeal tumour prior
to radiotherapy. Automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillators have onl
y relatively recently been used to treat patients with the long QT syndrome
and are indicated for the high-risk individual when conventional treatment
has failed or when beta-blockers are contraindicated. If surgery requires
the use of surgical diathermy, a cardiac technician must be present to deac
tivate the defibrillator and external pacing electrodes are sited on the ch
est until the defibrillator can be reactivated. Radiotherapy requires both
deactivation and shielding of the device.