Ventricular fibrillation caused by electrocoagulation in monopolar mode during laparoscopic subphrenic mass resection.

Background: Monopolar is usually a safe and effective electrosurgical unit used in laparoscopic general surgery. However, it can cause adverse outcomes and even cardiac arrest. We present a video of laparoscopic subphrenic mass resection using monopolar coagulation during which ventricular fibrillation occurred and from which the patient was successfully resuscitated.

Methods: Our patient was a 39-year-old man who was admitted to our institution for treatment of a liver mass. The mass was located in the left subphrenic region and was 3.31 cm × 2.7 cm according to B ultrasound. He had had a spleen resection after a car accident 14 years before. He was otherwise healthy and a physical examination was negative. He was scheduled for "laparoscopic exploration, mass resection." General anesthesia was induced and the operation began. While dissecting the mass from the diaphragm there was some bleeding; monopolar electrocoagulation with 68 W was performed upon which ventricular fibrillation occurred. The operation was stopped and closed-chest compression began immediately. Defibrillation (200-J shock) was performed in 1 min and rhythm returned to sinus.

Results: The operation was resumed carefully and uneventfully. The patient was sent to the postoperative acute care unit and was extubated 10 min after operation. The patient recovered uneventfully without any signs of permanent cardiac injury and was discharged on postoperative day 3. The final pathology was accessory spleen.

Conclusions: We present a video of a patient who experienced ventricular fibrillation during laparoscopic surgery which was successfully defibrillated leaving no permanent cardiac injury. We assume the reason for the ventricular fibrillation was the low-frequency leakage current from electrocoagulation which may be conducted by Swan-Ganz catheter to the heart. It is important that we be familiar with the character of electrosurgical unit when performing laparoscopic surgery. We should be careful when using an electrosurgical unit near the cardiac region, especially when the patient has an indwelling catheter. We recommend performing hemostasis in bipolar mode or use an ultrasonic scalpel if bleeding is close to the heart. Also, an easily available defibrillator should be ready for use.