1995 Volume 15 Issue 6 Pages 498-502
A 45-year-old woman with postoperative septicemia recurrently developed ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (Vf) during epidural catheter insertion for the purpose of debridement. Although VT and Vf could not be treated by continuous infusion of lidocain, they disappeared as septicemia was treated by antibiotics. Except for a radical operation for atrial septal defect at the age of 15, this patient had neither heart disease nor electrolyte abnormalities, and used no antiarrhythmic drugs. However, QT interval prolon-gation on ECG was observed upon her arrival in the operation room. QT interval prolonga-tion was thought to have been caused by adverse effect of drugs, including antibiotics, or by damage to cardiac muscle due to septicemia.
