Korean J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg.  1998 Nov;31(11):1056-1062.

Postoperative Arrhythmias after Open Heart Surgery in Adults

• Kim JS
• Lee SJ
• Won TH
• Han JJ
• Kim KB
• Kim WG
• An H
• Kim JH
• Rho JR
• Kim CW

Abstract

BACKGROUND: We prospectively investigated types, incidences, and risk factors for arrhythmias after open heart surgery in adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From June 1994 to May 1995, we performed 302 cases of adult cardiac surgery at our department. This study group consisted of 150 men and 152 women, with a mean age of 43.9+/-28.0 (range 16 to 75)years. We included all the patients irrespective of their operative types or disease entities. RESULTS: The overall incidence of arrhythmias after open heart surgery in adults was 58.3%. The incidence of postoperative arrhythmias for redo-valvular heart surgery was 77.8%, and those for simple valvular procedure, coronary artery bypass surgery, aortic surgery, and congenital heart disease were 70.8%, 45.3%, 40.0%, and 29.5%, respectively. Eight out of twelve risk factors showed statistical significance for the development of postoperative arrhythmias. They were preoperative history of arrhythmias, antiarrhythmic drug medication, previous cardiac surgery, larger left ventricular end-diastolic, end-systolic dimension, left atrial dimension on preoperative echocardiogram, longer cardiopulmonary bypass time and aortic cross clamping time. Univariated analyses for age and types of cardioplegic solution did not show statistical significance.
CONCLUSIONS
Prospective study on postoperative arrhythmias occurrence, treatment and prevention of is warrauted to draw more clear conclusion.

Keyword

Arrhythmia; Postoperative complication

MeSH Terms

Adult*
Arrhythmias, Cardiac*
Cardioplegic Solutions
Cardiopulmonary Bypass
Constriction
Coronary Artery Bypass
Female
Heart Defects, Congenital
Heart*
Humans
Incidence
Male
Postoperative Complications
Prospective Studies
Risk Factors
Thoracic Surgery*
Cardioplegic Solutions