comparative study of the incidence of arrhythmias during fiberoptic bronchoscopy and gastroscopy

ABSTRACT

Electrocardio graphic monitoring of 50 consecutive patients undergoing fibreoptic gastroscopy and 15 consecutive patients undergoing fibreoptic bronchoscopy for various reasons revealed that arrhythmias during these procedures were common. The arrhythmias tended to occur more frequently in the bronchoscopy group [40%] compared to gastroscopy group [16%] [P < 0.05]. The commonest electrocardiographic abnormalities were ventricular premature contraction present in 4 patients in the gastroscopy group and 3 Patients in the bronchoscopy group