Diagnosis of trifasicular damage following tetralogy of fallot and ventricular septal defect repair.

We evaluated the usefulness of the surface electrocardiogram to predict the presence of postoperative trifascicular damage. We used the pre and postoperative electrocardiograms and postoperative His bundle electrograms from 50 patients an average of 3.8 years following tetralogy of Fallot (TF) and ventricular septal defect (VSD) repair. Right bundle branch block (RBBB) and RBBB with left anterior hemiblock (LAH) developed in 88% and 18% respectively, and 22% had transient postoperative complete heart block (CHB). Mean P-A and A-H conduction times were 16.6 and 84.9 msec and were not different from 37 are-matched normal patients and 61 patients with unoperated TF and VSD. The mean H-V conduction time of 48.5 msec was significantly increased compared to the other two groups. Ten postoperative patients had H-V times of 55 msec or greater, indicating trifasicular damage. Of these, five had electrocardiographic bifascicular block (RBBB with LAH) with or without additional 1 degrees A-V block. The remaining five patients' electrocardiograms did not suggest trifascicular damage. Since postsurgical trifascicular damage may progress to late onset CHB, conduction studies are indicated to identify patients at risk, despite surface electrocardiographic findings.