Cardioversion of recurrent postoperative supraventricular tachycardia in Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome

A man whose electrocardiograms disclosed evidence of the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome had five attacks of supraventricular tachycardia after operation for relief of small bowel obstruction. Quinidine, digoxin and potassium chloride neither prevented nor terminated the recurrent episodes of tachycardia. However, each attack of supraventricular tachycardia was terminated by electric cardioversion administered without general anesthesia.