Irregular Heart Rhythms With a Lobectomy: An Overview
Before we talk about this particular problem, you should know something about how the heart beats.
Electrical signals are sent from a special area in your heart, called the "SA node," or the main "pacemaker." As these signals are sent through the heart, the top parts of your heart contract together, and then the lower parts. This makes blood flow in the right direction through the heart.
Sometimes, things go wrong with the electrical signals, and this creates abnormal heart rhythms. The heart may beat too slowly, too quickly, or just irregularly.
Irregular heart rhythms don't happen very often after a
lobectomy. If they do, they are usually brief and don't cause any symptoms or problems.
One example that does cause problems is called "
atrial fibrillation." During atrial fibrillation, the heart quivers instead of contracting normally. It isn't known why this sometimes happens after surgery.
Symptoms of atrial fibrillation may include a rapid heart rate or a pounding feeling in your chest. In rare cases, atrial fibrillation and other abnormal heart rhythms can be fatal.
If you already have, or might develop, an abnormal heart rhythm, your doctor may put a pacemaker or defibrillator into your heart. These devices can sense abnormal heart rhythms and correct them. They may be used either temporarily or permanently, depending on your condition.
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