Crochelet A-S, Jacquemart C, Massin M
Service de cardiologie pédiatrique, université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), hôpital universitaire des enfants Reine-Fabiola, 15, avenue J.J.-Crocq, 1020 Bruxelles, Belgique; Service de pédiatrie, université de Liège (ULg), centre hospitalier régional Citadelle, Liège, Belgique.
Service de cardiologie pédiatrique, université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), hôpital universitaire des enfants Reine-Fabiola, 15, avenue J.J.-Crocq, 1020 Bruxelles, Belgique.
Arch Pediatr. 2015 Oct;22(10):1032-4. doi: 10.1016/j.arcped.2015.06.006. Epub 2015 Jul 26.
Perinatal atrial flutter is a serious arrhythmia. Its management continues to pose a challenge during the fetal period but also, in rare intractable cases, during the postnatal period. This report describes the case of a neonate who required multiple electrical external cardioversions and amiodarone to resolve a recurrent atrial flutter. This case report suggests that neonatal atrial flutter may be recurrent at short term, that repeated electrical cardioversions with low energy are safe for a neonate, that amiodarone is effective as a premedication before cardioversion and in maintaining sinus rhythm afterward, and finally that the long-term prognosis is good, even when the arrhythmia is initially refractory to therapy.