Electroversion in treatment of arrhythmia in a patient with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and cervical spinal cord injury

Abstract

【Abstract】We report electroversion in treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrioventricular nodal reentry ta-chycardia (AVNRT) in a patient with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and cervical spinal cord injury. At first, the pa-tient sustained respiratory failure and weak cough reflex, thereafter repeated bronchoscopy was used to aspirate the sputum as well as control the pneumonia, which resulted in arrhythmia (AF and AVNRT). Two doses of intravenous amiodarone failed to correct the arrhythmia. After restora-tion of sinus rhythm by electroversion, he was successfully weaned from mechanical ventilation and discharged from the intensive care unit without recurrent arrhythmia. Key words: Arrhythmia, cardiac; Atrial fibrillation; Electric countershock; Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome; Spinal cord injuries