Electrocardiograms of Dogs with Heart Homografts

Abstract

Serial electrocardiograms from 50 dogs which survived 4 days to 12 months with orthotopic cardiac homografts have been evaluated. Although sinus rhythm is the basic mechanism in all homografted hearts, arrhythmias are frequently encountered early in the post-transplant period and later during episodes of threatened rejection. The decrease in QRS voltage which consistently accompanies impending rejection makes the electrocardiogram indispensable in monitoring the cardiac homograft.