Abstract
Refractory periods (RP) of the atrium, atrioventricular (A-V) node and of the right ventricle have been determined with the atrial extrastimulus (AES) technique in children with and without heart defects (HD). Limited data is available on the RP of the HIS-Purkinje (HP) network in children with preoperative (preop) and postoperative (postop) HD. Electrophysiologic studies (EPS) were performed in 49 children with various preop and postop HD. Ages ranged between 2 and 20 years. EPS consisted in determining sinus node recovery times; atrial and A-V nodal RP. AES was coupled to sinus rhythm and to 1 or 2 paced cycle lengths. The relative (R) RPHP was determined in 18/49 (37%) patients (10 preop and 8 postop). Only 2/18 had prolonged H-V interval at rest. During AES coupled to sinus rhythm the RRPHP ranged between 270-530 msec. During AES coupled to atrial pacing the RRPHP ranged between 250-470 msec. These values did not differ significantly between the preop and postop patients. The RRPHP decreased when the cycle length was shortened. The effective (E) RPHP and the RRP of the His-bundle (HB) were only determined in 4/49 patients.
In conclusion, the RRPHP did not differ significantly between the preop and postop patients and, therefore, it is a functional electrophysiological characteristic of HP system; and it was more easily elucidated than the ERPHP and RRPHB.
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Casta, A., Sapire, D. & Wolf, W. HIS-PURKINJE ELECTROPHYSIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS IN CHILDREN WITH HEART DEFECTS. Pediatr Res 18 (Suppl 4), 120 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00164
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198404001-00164