ECG Library is a collection of realistic electrocardiograms organized for learning ECG interpretations. Maintained by two physicians in New Zealand and Wales. Unusual arrhythmias after corrective surgery for transposition of the great vessels. Am Heart J .
Atrioventricular block is the most dangerous bradyarrhythmia in the post-operative period.
Atrioventricular block, on the other hand, can lead to asystole suddenly and unexpectedly. Cardiac surgery which involves the atrial or ventricular septum may lead to AV block, due to damage to the bundle of His. In particular, ventricular septal defects which involve the membranous interventricular septum by definition have the conducting bundle present at the upper margin of the defect, where it is vulnerable to damage during patch closure. Children with certain types of heart defects may be predisposed to the development of AV block at surgery, as they are thought to have conducting systems which are more 'fragile' than normal. In the latter defect, also known as ventricular inversion or 'congenitally corrected transposition', there is a high rate of spontaneous development of complete AV block even in the absence of cardiac sugery. .