Sick sinus syndrome diagnosed after a sinus arrest during treatment for zygomatic fracture: a case report

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative sinus arrest is rarely seen during zygomatic fracture treatment. The patient was diagnosed with sick sinus syndrome based on repeated postoperative sinus arrest, which could have resulted in death if diagnosed late, making this case very significant to report. CASE PRESENTATION: Sick sinus syndrome is an arrhythmia associated with reduced automaticity of the sinoatrial node or impaired sinoatrial node conduction. We report the case of a 67-year-old man diagnosed with the syndrome after a sinus arrest that occurred during a zygomatic fracture treatment. The patient had cheek pain and mouth opening disorder, dizziness after fainting and sustaining a facial injury. Preoperative examination determined that the syncope was due to drug-induced arrhythmia, and surgery was authorized after drug withdrawal. During the operation, sinus arrest was observed due to trigeminal vagal reflex, and heart rate was restarted by stopping the operation and chest compressions. After the surgery, the patient showed symptoms of dizziness and palpitations, and sinus arrest following atrial fibrillation and supraventricular tachycardia, which was diagnosed as sick sinus syndrome, and a pacemaker was implanted. Currently, 8 years have passed since the surgery, and there are no symptoms of mouth opening disorder, dizziness, or palpitations. CONCLUSIONS: In the case of maxillofacial injuries due to syncope, cardiogenic syncope is a possibility, and repeated syncope is a risk for death due to delayed diagnosis. There are no reports of maxillofacial trauma leading to a diagnosis of sick sinus syndrome. The purpose of this case report is to disseminate the importance of diagnosing the cause of syncope as well as injury treatment.