Does direct current shock to the atrioventricular junctional tissue modify atrioventricular conduction in patients with refractory supraventricular tachycardia?
Direct current shock delivered via a conventional electrode wire can modify atrioventricular conduction in patients with refractory supraventricular tachycardia, though it may necessitate permanent pacing.
We describe a technique for interruption/modification of atrioventricular conduction using a direct current shock delivered from a defibrillator to the atrioventricular junctional tissue by means of a conventional electrode wire. The method was used in three patients with refractory supraventricular tachycardia. After the procedure two patients received an atrioventricular sequen- tial pacemaker.
Critelli et al. (Wed,) studied this question.