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Evaluation of the postoperative course of coronary artery bypass patients shows that a number develop supraventricular arrhythmias that may be responsive to sino-atrial node (SAN) cooling. The sinus rate can be controlled within a clinically useful range with topical cooling probes (thermodes). The data on the variations of heart rate caused by modest nodal hypothermia indicate that a nonpharmacologic clinical system for control of supraventricular tachyarrhythmias is feasible. Prototype thermodes suitable for SAN implantation have been developed.
Parsonnet et al. (1980) studied this question.