Ventricular tachycardia observed during cesarean section in a patient without structural cardiac disease

Abstract

A 32-year-old gravida 2, para 1 woman without structural cardiac disease was scheduled for her second cesarean section under combined spinal and epidural anesthesia (CSEA). She had stable hemodynamics after delivery; however, 16 min after the application of uterotonics, ventricular tachycardia (VT) with a heart rate (HR) of 150 bpm appeared. VT lasted for <30 s, and her hemodynamics remained stable. Ventricular arrhythmia frequently appeared for 3 min, and the HR at sinus rhythm was approximately 90 bpm. After the discontinuation of oxytocin, VT did not reappear. A postoperative 12-lead electrocardiogram showed first-degree atrioventricular block, but echocardiography performed 2 days later did not reveal any structural abnormalities. Autonomic nervous imbalance induced by CSEA, ephedrine, and oxytocin, as well as ergometrine may cause intraoperative VT during cesarean section in patients without structural cardiac disease.Copyright © 2015, Nakanishi et al.