Cardioversion in Childhood

Abstract

In Hacettepe Chidren's Hospital Pediatric Cardiology Unit cardioversion is applied to twenty-nine patients with cardiac arrhythmia who didn't recover with drug therapy. Successful cardioversion is achieved in 39 trials (93%). Temporary rhythm disorders occured during the proceduri, but no tromboembolism were remorked. Long time follow-up of the patients revealed that 7 cases (25 %) kept sinus rhythm more than twelve months. The period which the patients taking quinidine remained in sinus rhythm is significantly longer compared with the patient who didn't receive the drug. On the other hand, the patients whose hemodynamic conditions were restored by valve replacement in addition to the quinidine thrapy, retained the sinus rhythm significantly langer than the ons who weren't operated. Our study showed that in cases with rheumatic heart disease in asociation with atrial fibrillation it the ventricular rate can be controlled by digitalis, cardioversion after valve replacement together with quinidine administration can retain sinus rhythm far a long time.