Recurrent Ventricular Tachycardia in a Patient with a Peritoneovenous Catheter

Excerpt

To the editor: Peritoneovenous shunts can alleviate ascites ( 1 ). Complications with this shunt are congestive heart failure, electrolyte disturbances, infection, and rarely, catheter-induced arrhythmias (2, 3).

A 35-year-old man with cirrhosis, who was a rehabilitated alcoholic, was transferred to our hospital for liver transplantation. To manage intractable ascites, multiple peritoneovenous shunts had been inserted. Before transfer, the patient had reaccumulated massive ascites, which signified occlusion of his Denver shunt. Recurrent, four- to ten-beat runs of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia occurred with the patient's change in position. His vital signs and heart findings were normal. His lungs were clear, but