Defibrillation

Delivery of an electric shock to the heart to terminate life-threatening arrhythmias like VF and VT.

Defibrillation is recommended for patients with specific symptoms, abnormal test results, or as part of a planned treatment pathway. Your Emergency Medicine / Cardiology specialist will evaluate your suitability.

Defibrillation is typically performed with None. The anaesthesia team will review your health history and allergies before the procedure.

The typical duration is noted in the quick stats above. This may vary depending on complexity and individual patient factors.

Risks include minor discomfort, bruising, rare infection, and in some cases incomplete results requiring repeat testing. Serious complications are uncommon but are discussed at consent.

Defibrillation has a documented success rate of 85% (VF treated within 3 min) at accredited centres. Individual outcomes depend on the underlying condition, patient health, and care team expertise.