Journal of cardiothoracic and vascular anesthesia
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J. Cardiothorac. Vasc. Anesth. · Dec 1992
Temporary transmyocardial pacing using epicardial pacing wires and pacing pulmonary artery catheters.
This study investigated the feasibility of transmyocardially pacing the heart using one temporary epicardial pacing lead and one endocardial lead of a pacing pulmonary artery catheter. Twenty patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass with cardioplegic arrest were studied 10 to 45 minutes and 18 to 30 hours after discontinuation of cardiopulmonary bypass. The Swan-Ganz Flow-Directed Pacing TD Catheter (Baxter Healthcare Corporation) was inserted in one group of 10 patients, and the Swan-Ganz Thermodilution A-V Paceport Catheter (Baxter Healthcare Corporation, Irvine, CA) was used in another group of 10 patients. ⋯ Transmyocardial atrial-ventricular sequential pacing was achieved in all cases when both TMA and TMV pacing were independently successful. There were no significant differences between catheters in the success rates of either TMA or TMV. It is concluded that transmyocardial pacing is feasible using one temporary epicardial pacing lead and one endocardial lead of a pacing pulmonary artery catheter.