Advances in perioperative pacing.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy with biventricular pacing has become a significant management tool in adults with heart failure. In children, right rather than just left ventricular failure, is a key problem in the postoperative period. Also, congenital heart defects vary widely in their nature and prognosis. There are now preliminary reports in the literature of the use of multiple temporary pacing sites after congenital heart surgery and acute comparison of the effects of unsynchronized versus synchronized pacing in the postoperative period. These studies support the use of cardiac resynchronization pacing at least as a temporary measure in cases of acute heart failure after surgery in patients with congenital heart disease.