Refractory bradycardia during retrograde pyelography and spinal anesthesia

Riad F. Riskalla, Philip W. Lebowitz, Reid M. Rubsamen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Bradycardia commonly occurs during spinal anesthesia as a result of vagally mediated slowing of sinoatrial (SA) node firing. Peritoneal traction or urinary bladder distension, for example, may serve as a stimulus for SA node inhibition, particularly when thoracic levels of spinal anesthesia interrupt function of the sympathetic limb of the autonomic nervous system. Although atropine dependably reverses such heart rate slowing, we recently encountered, during spinal anesthesia for cystoscopy and retrograde pyelography, bradycardia that was unexpected and refractory to treatment with atropine.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)36-38
Number of pages3
JournalJournal of Clinical Anesthesia
Volume1
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 1988
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Arrhythmia
  • anesthesia, spinal
  • atropine
  • cystoscopy
  • pyelography
  • sinoatrial node
  • sinus bradycardia
  • sympathetic nervous system

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine

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