Temporary epicardial pacing wires are commonly placed during pediatriccardiac surgery. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacyand safety of temporary pacing for managing early postoperativearrhythmias. Perioperative data were prospectively collected. Thefollowing data were collected for each patient; demographic data, surgicaldata ,post-operative intensive care course, pacing parameters,hemodynamics pre-and post-pacing ,duration and effect of pacing.Ninteenth child with postoperative arrhythmias treated with pacing.Indication for pacing were complete heart block (8/19), junctional ectopictachycardia(8/19), slow junctional rhythm (1/19), sinus bradycardia (1/19)and supraventricular tachycardia (1/19). 15 patients had hemodynamicimprovement. Predominantly sinus rhythm reappeared with a median26(9.5-72) h after the start of pacing in 14(73.7%) of the 19 patients. Onmultivariate stepwise logistic regression, atrial threshold level wasassociated with the highest score, 4.317 (P=0.038) and was the onlypredictor for recovery to sinus. There were no complications associatedwith the use or removal of temporary epicardial pacing wires. As the mostcommon arrhythmias post congenital cardiac surgery involve either rate orconduction abnormalities, temporary pacemaker systems are a commonform of electrical therapy in the postoperative period. Temporary epicardialpacing has become a useful and an essential modality for maintaininghemodynamic stability.