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. 2019 May;42(5):542-545.
doi: 10.1002/clc.23174. Epub 2019 Mar 28.

Electrocardiographic modifications induced by breast implants

Sok-Sithikun Bun  1 , Philippe Taghji  2 , Abdelkarim Errahmouni  3 , Decebal Gabriel Laţcu  1 , Alaa Al Amoura  4 , Bogdan Enache  1 , Thomas Hugues  1 , Khelil Yaïci  1 , Nadir Saoudi  1
Affiliations

Electrocardiographic modifications induced by breast implants

Sok-Sithikun Bun et al. Clin Cardiol. 2019 May.

Abstract

Background: Echocardiography realization can be challenging in the presence of breasts implants (BI). It is less known if electrocardiograms (ECG) may be modified in the presence of BI.

Methods: ECG from women with BI (and without any known cardiac structural disease) were sent and analyzed by two experienced electrophysiologists (EP1 and EP2) who were blinded and completely unaware of the context of the patients (Group 1). ECG from a control matched-group of female women without BI (Group 2) were also blindly sent for analysis.

Results: ECG were collected from 28 women with BI (42 ± 8 years) without any acute medical condition. A proportion of 42% of the ECG were considered abnormal by EP1 and 46% by EP2. The abnormalities were for EP1: negative T waves (5), ST depression in inferolateral leads (2), absence of R wave progression from V1 to V4 (4), left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy (1), long QT(1), early repolarization (1), short PR (1); For EP2: negative T waves (6), ST depression in inferolateral leads (2), absence of R wave progression from V1 to V4 (4), LV hypertrophy(3), long QT (1), early repolarization (1). ECG from group 2 were considered abnormal in only 1 patient (5%) for EP1, and normal in all for EP2 (P = 0.0002 between the groups).

Conclusions: ECG from women with BI were considered abnormal in 42% to 46% of the cases by expert readers. ECG interpretation can thus be misleading in these women.

Keywords: ECG modifications; breasts implants.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no potential conflict of interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Representative cases of 12‐lead electrocardiogram modifications observed in women with breast implants and absence of structural heart disease. A, T wave inversion from V1 to V3 (patient no. 1 from the table). B, Diffuse ST depression from V3 to V6 and in inferior leads (patient no. 9). C, Short PR interval and negative T waves in V1 V2 (patient no. 21). D, Negative T waves in V1 and V2 in a 36‐year‐old patient of African origin who experienced fainting (patient no. 28)
Figure 2
Figure 2
Scheme explaining the deviation of the electrical wave front due to the presence of the breast implants acting as an unexcitable barrier
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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