Use of Emergency Manuals to Treat Intraoperative Supraventricular Tachycardia and Hypotension During Exploratory Laparotomy

Although intraoperative tachyarrhythmias are relatively common, their appropriate management is pertinent to reducing morbidity and mortality. In certain clinical scenarios, the initial steps of managing intraoperative tachyarrhythmias may be ambiguous. Emergency manuals (EMs) are cognitive aids that improve the outcome of critical events by providing current, medically established guidelines on management. The case of a patient with an intraoperative supraventricular tachycardia with narrow, irregular QRS complexes and refractory hypotension is described here. Relevant sections of Stanford Anesthesia Emergency Manual were activated immediately and guided the anesthesiologists in treating the patient’s arrhythmia. The utilization of an EM allowed rapid selection of a pharmacologic agent that achieved hemodynamic stability. EMs allow healthcare providers to respond more appropriately and efficiently during critical events and thus directly improve patient care.