Symptomatic Sinus Node Dysfunction After Heart Transplantation

Abstract

When donor hearts are studied systematically after transplantation, by programmed electrical stimulation, sinus node dysfunction has been found to be common though data regarding symptoms related to this phenomenon are not available. In this case report we describe a heart transplant recipient who experienced serious symptomatic sinus node dysfunction associated with transient atrial fibrillation 17 days after cardiac transplantation; there was no evidence of donor heart rejection. Intracardiac electrophysiology testing confirmed sinus node dysfunction of the donor heart, but only with relatively rapid atrial pacing rates.