[Electro-impulse therapy in combined treatment of patients with thyrotoxic goiter complicated by cardiac fibrillation].

Cardiac fibrillation was revealed at admission in 260 (5.2%) of 4996 patients who were to undergo subtotal resection of thyroid gland for toxic goiter. In 114 (43.8%) patients sinus rhythm was restored with drugs in preoperative period. Electroimpulse therapy was carried out in other 146 patients which was effective in 89% cases. Efficacy of electroimpulse therapy depended mainly on the arrhythmia duration. Restoration of sinus rhythm before operation in patients with toxic goiter improves conditions of preoperative preparation and decreases the risk of surgical treatment. There were no lethal outcomes.