[A case of complete atrioventricular block after induction of general anesthesia].

A 75-year-old man with a past history of bilateral thalamic hemorrhage was scheduled for cholecystectomy and cholelithotomy under general anesthesia. Although the preoperative ECG showed a complete right bundle branch block, the echocardiogram revealed no abnormality. Anesthesia was induced with thiopental and vecuronium, and maintained with sevoflurane in oxygen. Soon after changing to the left decubitus position for the insertion of an epidural catheter, ECG showed complete atrioventricular block, which did not respond to atropine. Adrenalin was transiently effective, but arrhythmia continued. After administration of dopamine, norepinephrine and isoproterenol, we inserted a temporary transvenous pacemaker catheter, and the hemodynamics became stable by ventricular pacing. The operation was postponed. Subsequent cardiologic examination showed no ischemia. The atrioventricular block disappeared 7 hours after the induction of general anesthesia. We should be very careful with the anesthetic management of a patient with a complete right bundle branch block.