Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthésie
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We report a case of electrocautery-induced pacemaker failure that resulted in asystole in a 15-year-old girl scheduled for cardiac surgery. Her pacemaker was converted to the asynchronous mode the night before surgery. ⋯ Eventually the battery current drain caused VCO "lock-out," and pacemaker and battery failure. This report demonstrates that electrocautery-induced pacemaker failure can occur, even after conversion to asynchronous mode.