Transesophageal pacing and electrocardiography in the neonate: diagnostic and therapeutic uses.

Transesophageal pacing and electrocardiography have important diagnostic and therapeutic uses in the neonate. Electrode placement is simple, and transesophageal ECG recording may be accomplished using available ECG recorders. Transesophageal pacing requires a special stimulator to administer stimulus pulses of 10 msec duration. Transesophageal ECG aids in establishing specific electrophysiologic Transesophageal ECG aids in establishing specific electrophysiologic diagnosis in neonates with rhythm disturbances. Transesophageal pacing is useful for treatment of atrial bradycardia as well as for cardioversion of a variety of tachycardias. There have been no serious long-term complications reported from use of transesophageal pacing and electrocardiography.