Mostafa M. Abohelwa MD, Marwan Refaat MD, Amal A. Gharamti MD, Mohamed A Ahmed MD MPH, Amr Elgehiny MD, Issam El-Rassi MD, Fadi Bitar MD, Mariam Arabi MD
Purpose: Junctional ectopic tachycardia (JET) is an uncommon arrhythmia that occurs after surgical correction of congenital heart defects. Data on neonates and infants are limited. This study highlights the epidemiology, incidence, and management of neonates and infants with JET at a tertiary care center in Lebanon.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review on patients hospitalized between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2017. All patients with documented symptomatic junctional ectopic tachycardia on electrocardiograms who required medical treatment post-surgery were included.
Results: Nine patients were included. The median age was 18 days, and six were males. Six of the nine (66.67%) were successfully treated with cooling and amiodarone on the initial attempt. The other three cases failed initial treatment with adenosine. However, they were successfully treated with cooling and amiodarone as second-line therapy. All cases of junctional ectopic tachycardia occurred post-surgery at an average of 1.67 ± 1.11 days.
Conclusion: Junctional ectopic tachycardia mostly occurs after corrective cardiac surgery and can be successfully treated with cooling and amiodarone. Timely diagnosis significantly affects the outcome.
Keywords: Junctional ectopic tachycardia, arrhythmias, neonates, infants.
Article citation: Abohelwa MM, Refaat M, Gharamti AA, Ahmed MA, Elgehiny A, El-Rassi I, Bitar F, Arabi M. Management of post-operative junctional ectopic tachycardia in symptomatic neonates and infants at a tertiary care center in a developing country: Lessons learned! The Southwest Respiratory and Critical Care Chronicles 2021;9(40):14–19
From: Department of Internal Medicine (MMA), Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas; Department of Internal Medicine (MR), Cardiology Division, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut-Lebanon; Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, Waterbury Hospital, Connecticut, USA. Department of Family Medicine (MAA), American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut-Lebanon; Department of Pediatrics (AE), University of Texas at Houston, Texas, USA; Department of Surgery (IER), American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut-Lebanon; Department of Paediatrics (FB, MA), Cardiology Division, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut-Lebanon
Submitted: 6/23/2021
Accepted: 7/6/2021
Reviewer: Scott Shurmur MD
Conflicts of interest: none
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