The electrocardiogram (ECG) made easy for orthopaedic surgeons

Abstract

Evaluation and interpretation of an electrocardiogram (ECG) is not formally included in the surgical residencies teaching curriculum, at least in our area. In this review, we aimed to discuss some of the basic ECG principles that could enable an orthoapedic surgeon to perform an initial assessment of an ECG trace paper and report on the ECG appearance of some common postoperative cardiovascular complications. Some reports have been published about surgeons' capability in dealing with an ECG trace paper. Since a subset of patients going under different surgical procedures being old and fragile with more susceptibility to postoperative cardiovascular complications, even in the absence of a history of cardiovascular comorbidity. Having the necessary knowledge regarding ECG assessment, a surgeon could suspect or diagnose these complications. In this review, we explained the basic concepts of cardiac electrophysiology, the typical components of an ECG trace paper, and a systematic approach to interpreting. We provided some of the commonly encountered postoperative cardiovascular complications and their appearance in the ECG trace paper. As we believe that orthoapedic surgeons should master basic ECG interpretation skills, this review will serve as an opportunity and a guide to understanding the essential components and concepts of an ECG trace paper.