Sudden death after major head and neck cancer surgery due to undetected arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy (ARVC)

Abstract

As per our current knowledge, no cases of maxillary cancer and ARVC as co-morbidities have been reported in the literature. The patient had been given anti-arrhythmia treatment for previously detected atrial fibrillation, which could have been why the arrhythmia was not apparent on the electrocardiogram. Thus, although the appropriate preoperative diagnostics were performed according to current oncologic and anesthesiology guidelines, the potentially lethal cardiac condition of the patient could not be detected.

Cardiac arrest due to an unexpected acute myocardial infarction during head and neck surgery: A case report

“…Another patient experienced cardiac arrest due to hypokalemia during surgery for tongue cancer, and completed reconstructive surgery after recovering from cardiac arrest [ 13 ]. Another patient died after an undetected arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy after reconstructive surgery for maxillary SCC [ 14 ]. A fourth case had sudden cardiac death after reconstructive surgery for a diabetic foot; postoperative MI caused severe left ventricular dysfunction with ventricular fibrillation [ 15 ].…”