Why the study?
Does mastectomy alter the amplitude of QRS complexes on the electrocardiogram?
Does mastectomy alter the amplitude of QRS complexes on the electrocardiogram?
Mastectomy causes significant increases in precordial QRS amplitude, which may be related to an altered thoracic volume conductor.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
May warrant caution in post-mastectomy ECG interpretation; leaves open need for adjusted criteria and prospective validation.
The electrocardiograms before and after operation have been compared in 20 patients undergoing left mastectomy and in 19 patients undergoing right mastectomy. There are highly significant increases in the amplitude of the QRS complexes recorded over the precordium after left mastectomy, except in lead V 6 . There are highly significant increases in the amplitude of the QRS complexes of leads V 3R and V 1 after both left and right mastectomy. These data are not completely explained by a diminution of distance between the recording electrode and the myocardium or of electrical resistance following the excision of soft tissue. The possible relationship is suggested between the precordial voltage changes and the altered thoracic volume conductor.
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LaMonte et al. (1965) studied this question.
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