Letter to the Editor

Ventricular Tachycardia and Cardiac Arrest During Nasogastric Tube Insertion

Authors: Filippia Aroni, MD, Chryssa Pourzitaki, MD, MSc, PhD, Helena Logotheti, MD, Grigoris Belivanakis, MD, Panagiotis Arambatzis, MD, PhD

Abstract

To the Editor:


Cardiac arrest during surgery is uncommon, but one cause of asystole is vagal stimulation.1,2 We present a case of a 64-year-old, 153 lb male patient with cecum tumor, who was scheduled for right hemicolectomy. The patient had arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus type 2, receiving losartan and glimepiride for each, respectively. His preoperative laboratory evaluation was within normal range.

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References

1. Kinsella SM, Tuckey JP. Perioperative bradycardia and asystole: relationship to vasovagal syncope and the Bezold–Jarisch reflex. Br J Anesth 2001;86:859–868.
 
2. Doyle DJ, Mark PW. Reflex bradycardia during surgery. Can J Anesth 1990;37:219–222.
 
 
3. Nolan JP, Deakin CD, Soar J, et al. European Resuscitation Council Guidelines for resuscitation 2005. Section 4. Adult advanced life support. Resuscitation 2005;67(suppl 1):S39–S86.
 
4. Sinha PK, Koshy T, Sivakumar P. Nasogastric tube withdrawal: an unusual case of accidental extubation and near cardiac arrest in an infant. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth 2008;22:105–107.
 
5. Runciman WB, Morris RW, Watterson LM, et al. Crisis management during anesthesia: cardiac arrest. Qual Saf Health Care 2005;14:e14.