Ultrasound-guided probe-generated artifacts stimulating ventricular tachycardia: A rare phenomenon

Abstract

Electrocardiographic (ECG) artifacts may arise due to interference, faulty earthing, and current leakages in biomedical equipment which might create clinical dilemmas in the perioperative settings. Piezoelectric signals generated by ultrasonography probe are another uncommon source which might be sensed by the ECG electrodes and produce tracings similar to pathological arrhythmias triggering false alarms and avoidable therapies. Anesthesiologists should be familiar with these uncommon sources which might produce these artifacts and they should be identified swiftly.

Keywords

• Artifacts; electrocardiography; heart rate; tachycardia; ventricular