Abstract

ORJUELA, Alejandro; VANEGAS, Diego  and  MONTENEGRO, Juan de J. Atrialization in one case of atrial palsy syndrome. Rev. Col. Cardiol. [online]. 2007, vol.14, n.2, pp.108-112. ISSN 0120-5633.

Atrial palsy syndrome is an uncommon entity which generally occurs isolated or associated with degenerative muscular disorders. An autosomic dominant familiar transmission mechanism has been proposed. It appears more frequently in young males, and may be manifested as cerebro-vascular event, heart failure or thromboembolic phenomena. In this article, the case of a young man with history of recurrent syncope, who had received in the past a definitive single chamber pacemaker implant, is presented. Inflammatory heart diseases, muscular dystrophies and other secondary causes of his sinus impulse disorder were ruled out. An atrial electrophysiological study during the programmed change of the generator was performed, just before one of the pacemaker‘s batteries began to discharge. No mayor activity was found. An atrial electrode was implanted and echocardiographic follow-up of the auricular function was performed, showing a discrete improvement six months after the implant and then returning to the basal values, reason by which the atrial channel was turned off. Although some patients regain atrial function after cardioversion for atrial fibrillation, the percentage of patients that could do it after atrial stimulation in a little mechanically and electrically active auricle, is unknown. Therefore, the measurement of atrial activity and the stimulation before deciding the implant of an atrial electrode are very useful.

Keywords : atrial palsy; atrial function; sinus node disease; pacemaker.

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