The occurrence of vasomotor waves during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is a recognized phenomenon. The lesser known oscillation of arterial pressure after cessation of CPB was observed in 18 open-heart patients. The duration of an oscillatory wave was 13.5±5.0 seconds, the amplitude 6.1 ±2.6mmNg and the mean arterial pressure 76.5± 10.7mmHg. Inter-and also intraindividual variations in frequency and amplitude of the oscillation, however, did occur. In 13 patients, this oscillation occurred during ventricular epicardial pacing. The oscillation continued until the end of the operation in eight patients; in others, the oscillation was of shorter duration. An oscillation of pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) was simultaneously observed in nine patients (eight with pacemaker) and central venous pressure (CVP) oscillation in eight patients (all with pacemaker). The duration of a wave was the same as in systemic arterial pressure and the amplitudes were 1.5-3.0mmHg in PAP and 1.0-2.0mmHg in CVP. These arterial vasomotor waves, seen here after CPB, largely resemble those observed during perfusion in man and also the Mayerwaves explored in experimental animals. The pacing rhythm seems to favourthe appearance of those blood pressure oscillations.
Inappropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator shocks due to temporary epicardial pacing
