Endoscopic procedure hazard--vagovagal syncope with heart standstill due to ERCP.

One case of successful recovery after a heart standstill following ERCP, is presented and attention to the endoscopists is called to the possibility of this hazard which challenges us to have a resuscitation set available in the endoscopy room. We also examine some comments on the cardiac effects of gastrointestinal endoscopy, and on premedication, reviewing some literature on these matters. Four hundred and seven patients underwent ERCP at Hiroshima University Hospital. One patient suffered heart standstill at the end of the endoscopical procedure. She recovered after a mechanical maneuver for resuscitation.