Epicardial pacemaker insertion in a preterm very low birth weight neonate - An anaesthetic challenge

Abstract

Congenital complete heart block (CCHB) has an incidence of one in 20,000 live births and carries a 20% risk of mortality. The hemodynamic instability due to bradycardia and asystole due to the increasing metabolic demands can be avoided by appropriate antenatal planning, timely delivery and initiation of medical treatment and early pacemaker insertion. In this report, we discuss the anaesthetic challenges of permanent epicardial pacemaker insertion with good outcomes in a 32-week gestational age 1380 grams neonate within a few hours of birth.