Key result
Vagal maneuvers successfully terminate trauma-precipitated supraventricular tachycardia in occult Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.
Case Report (n=1)
Minor blunt chest trauma during contact sports can precipitate clinically significant arrhythmias in children with occult conduction abnormalities like WPW, which can be safely terminated with vagal maneuvers.
Minor chest trauma may precipitate unstable SVT in occult WPW; this case leaves open the need for prospective studies on trauma triggers in contact sports.
We report a rare case of a hemodynamically unstable adolescent boy who developed aberrant supraventricular tachycardia following minor blunt chest trauma during soccer, successfully terminated with vagal maneuvers alone. Post-termination electrocardiography revealed previously unrecognized Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. This case demonstrates that seemingly minor blunt chest trauma during contact sports can precipitate clinically significant arrhythmias in children with occult conduction abnormalities. It further underscores the safety, effectiveness and the practical utility of vagal maneuvers while preparing for synchronized cardioversion and raises considerations for pre-participation cardiovascular screening, and for training coaches and first responders in performing vagal maneuvers in similar scenarios.
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Abrahim et al. (2026) conducted a case report in Aberrant supraventricular tachycardia and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (n=1). Vagal maneuvers was evaluated on Termination of arrhythmia. Vagal maneuvers successfully terminated aberrant supraventricular tachycardia precipitated by minor blunt chest trauma in an adolescent boy with occult Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.
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