[Is ventricular fibrillation during cardiac surgery a hasard?].
The late consequences of induced ventricular fibrillation electrically non maintained have been analysed in a series of 547 operations under extracoporeal circulation and moderate hypothermia in the adult; the length of the intraoperative period of fibrillation has been found to have no effect upon the mean postoperative left atrial pressure -- itself a sure indicator of left ventricular function. This is equally true of the variations of the factor both in the operated cases taken together, and between the various groups of operated cases. There is no evidence that ventricular fibrillation has a harmful effect when, in addition, a study is made of the postoperative myocardial complications and of the early deaths. The mean duration of ventricular fibrillation does not differ significantly statistically between the group with complications and deaths, and the group with uncomplicated operations and no mortality.