We prospectively studied postoperative cardiac arrhythmia after open heart surgery to analyze the types and incidence of cardiac arrhythmia and to predict preoperative risk factors. And also we evaluated the effectiveness of atrial and ventricular epicardial electrodes which were placed during operation Between March 1990 and August 1990, We had operated on in 211 patients and we studied 201 consecutive patients excluding 10 patients. The study group included 99 males and 102 female patients, ages 1 month to 75 years[Mean$pm$SD=28.0$pm$21.7 years]. Postoperatively, all patients were regularly seen by the cardiac surgeon and cardiologist, They had continuous electrocardiographic monitoring for the first 3 days, initially in the intensive care unit and were checked routine electrocardiography on the postoperative 7 days, The postoperative cardiac arrhythmia were analyzed and possible associations of this arrhythmia with various pre, intra, and postoperative factors were studied by univariate and multivariate discriminant analysis, The overall incidence of postoperative cardiac arrhythmia except relative sinus bradycardia was 36.8%;[74/201], The incidence of postoperative cardiac arrhythmia in acyanotic congenital heart disease: 19.4%, cyanotic congenital heart disease: 20.8%, cardiac arrhythmia surgery: 33.3%, acquired valvular heart disease: 60.9% and coronary artery occlusive disease: 38.9%. Both univariate and multivariate studies indicated the pre operative symptom duration[p = 0013], the duration of medication[p=0.003], presence of preoperative arrhythmia[p<0.001] and pre-operative left atrial dimension in echocardiography to be the factor promoting postoperative cardiac arrhythmia. Multivariate discriminant analysis showed that the presence of preoperative cardiac arrhythmia, bypass time and the duration of preoperative symptom duration conveyed considerable risk factor on post-operative arrhythmia. The atrial wire electrodes were used diagnostically in 36 and were used therapeutically in 89 among 201 patients. Atrial pacing were used to treat relative sinus bradycardia, accelerated junctional tachycardia or premature atrial or ventricular contractions in 51 patients. Atrioventricular sequential pacing were used in 16 patients and ventricular pacing were used in 20 patients. Hemodynamics were evaluated in 2 patients of relative sinus bradycardia before and after atrial pacing. The atrial pacing increased the amount of cardiac output to 15% more. Because of their great utility in the diagnosis and treatment of arrhythmias, we conclude that routine placement of atrial and ventricular electrodes at the time of operation is indicated regardless of the nature of the open-heart procedure.