[Radiofrequency catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy] (original) (raw)

Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation of Ventricular Tachycardia After Myocardial Infarction

Circulation, 1998

Background-Patients with ventricular tachycardia (VT) after myocardial infarction often have multiple morphologies of inducible VT, which complicates mapping and is viewed by some as a relative contraindication to ablation. Attempting to identify and target a single "clinical" VT is often limited by inability to obtain 12-lead ECGs of VTs that are terminated emergently or by defibrillators. This study assesses the feasibility of ablation in patients selected without regard to the presence of multiple VTs by targeting all VTs that allow mapping. Methods and Results-Radiofrequency catheter ablation targeting all inducible monomorphic VTs that allowed mapping was performed in 52 patients with prior myocardial infarction. Antiarrhythmic drug therapy had failed in 41 (79%) patients including amiodarone in 36 patients. An average of 3.6Ϯ2 morphologies of VT were induced per patient. More than 1 ablation session was required in 16 (31%) patients. Complications occurred in 5 (10%) patients, including 1 (2%) death caused by acute myocardial infarction. During follow-up 59% of patients continued to receive amiodarone; 23 (45%) had implantable defibrillators. During a mean follow-up of 18Ϯ15 months (range 0 to 51 months) 1 patient died suddenly, 2 died from uncontrollable VT, and 5 died from heart failure. Three-year survival rate was 70Ϯ10%, and rate for risk of VT recurrence was 33Ϯ7%. Conclusions-Radiofrequency catheter ablation controls VT that is sufficiently stable to allow mapping in 67% of patients despite failure of antiarrhythmic drug therapy and multiple inducible VTs. However, ablation was largely adjunctive to amiodarone and defibrillators in this referral population. (Circulation. 1998;98:308-314.)

Radiofrequency catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia from the right ventricle late after myocardial infarction

The American Journal of Cardiology, 1996

Background-Patients with ventricular tachycardia (VT) after myocardial infarction often have multiple morphologies of inducible VT, which complicates mapping and is viewed by some as a relative contraindication to ablation. Attempting to identify and target a single "clinical" VT is often limited by inability to obtain 12-lead ECGs of VTs that are terminated emergently or by defibrillators. This study assesses the feasibility of ablation in patients selected without regard to the presence of multiple VTs by targeting all VTs that allow mapping. Methods and Results-Radiofrequency catheter ablation targeting all inducible monomorphic VTs that allowed mapping was performed in 52 patients with prior myocardial infarction. Antiarrhythmic drug therapy had failed in 41 (79%) patients including amiodarone in 36 (69%) patients. An average of 3.6Ϯ2 morphologies of VT were induced per patient. More than 1 ablation session was required in 16 (31%) patients. Complications occurred in 5 (10%) patients, including 1 (2%) death caused by acute myocardial infarction. During follow-up 59% of patients continued to receive amiodarone; 23 (45%) had implantable defibrillators. During a mean follow-up of 18Ϯ15 months (range 0 to 51 months) 1 patient died suddenly, 2 died from uncontrollable VT, and 5 died from heart failure. Three-year survival rate was 70Ϯ10%, and rate for risk of VT recurrence was 33Ϯ7%. Conclusions-Radiofrequency catheter ablation controls VT that is sufficiently stable to allow mapping in 67% of patients despite failure of antiarrhythmic drug therapy and multiple inducible VTs. However, ablation was largely adjunctive to amiodarone and defibrillators in this referral population. (Circulation. 1998;98:308-314.

Irrigated Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation Guided by Electroanatomic Mapping for Recurrent Ventricular Tachycardia After Myocardial Infarction: the Multicenter …

Circulation, 2008

Background-Recurrent ventricular tachycardia (VT) is an important cause of mortality and morbidity late after myocardial infarction. With frequent use of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, these VTs are often poorly defined and not tolerated for mapping, factors previously viewed as relative contraindications to ablation. This observational multicenter study assessed the outcome of VT ablation with a saline-irrigated catheter combined with an electroanatomic mapping system. Methods and Results-Two hundred thirty-one patients (median LV ejection fraction, 0.25; heart failure in 62%) with recurrent episodes of monomorphic VT (median, 11 in the preceding 6 months) caused by prior myocardial infarction were enrolled. All inducible monomorphic VTs with a rate approximating or slower than any spontaneous VTs were targeted for ablation guided by electroanatomic mapping during sinus rhythm and/or VT. Patients were not excluded for multiple VTs (median, 3 per patient) or unmappable VT (present in 69% of patients). Ablation abolished all inducible VTs in 49% of patients. The primary end point of freedom from recurrent incessant VT or intermittent VT after 6 months of follow-up was achieved for 123 patients (53%). In 142 patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators before and after ablation for intermittent VT who survived 6 months, VT episodes were reduced from a median of 11.5 to 0 (PϽ0.0001). The 1-year mortality rate was 18%, with 72.5% of deaths attributed to ventricular arrhythmias or heart failure. The procedure mortality rate was 3%, with no strokes. Conclusions-Catheter ablation is a reasonable option to reduce episodes of recurrent VT in patients with prior myocardial infarction, even when multiple and/or unmappable VTs are present. This population remains at high risk for death, warranting surveillance and further study.

Irrigated Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation Guided by Electroanatomic Mapping for Recurrent Ventricular Tachycardia After Myocardial Infarction: The Multicenter Thermocool Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation Trial

Circulation, 2008

is an important cause of mortality and morbidity late after myocardial infarction. With frequent use of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, these VTs are often poorly defined and not tolerated for mapping, factors previously viewed as relative contraindications to ablation. This observational multicenter study assessed the outcome of VT ablation with a saline-irrigated catheter combined with an electroanatomic mapping system. Methods and Results-Two hundred thirty-one patients (median LV ejection fraction, 0.25; heart failure in 62%) with recurrent episodes of monomorphic VT (median, 11 in the preceding 6 months) caused by prior myocardial infarction were enrolled. All inducible monomorphic VTs with a rate approximating or slower than any spontaneous VTs were targeted for ablation guided by electroanatomic mapping during sinus rhythm and/or VT. Patients were not excluded for multiple VTs (median, 3 per patient) or unmappable VT (present in 69% of patients). Ablation abolished all inducible VTs in 49% of patients. The primary end point of freedom from recurrent incessant VT or intermittent VT after 6 months of follow-up was achieved for 123 patients (53%). In 142 patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators before and after ablation for intermittent VT who survived 6 months, VT episodes were reduced from a median of 11.5 to 0 (PϽ0.0001). The 1-year mortality rate was 18%, with 72.5% of deaths attributed to ventricular arrhythmias or heart failure. The procedure mortality rate was 3%, with no strokes. Conclusions-Catheter ablation is a reasonable option to reduce episodes of recurrent VT in patients with prior myocardial infarction, even when multiple and/or unmappable VTs are present. This population remains at high risk for death, warranting surveillance and further study. (Circulation. 2008;118:2773-2782.)

Treatment of ventricular tachycardia: consider ablation sooner

F1000 medicine reports, 2009

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality for many patients, with a significant emotional and economic burden caused by implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) shocks and the requirement of medication with significant side effects. Additionally, 10% of VT occurs in patients with no structural heart disease. Until quite recently, ablation for VT has been reserved as the procedure of last hope for those who have ongoing recurrences despite maximal medical therapy and who are traumatized by multiple ICD shocks [1]. However, recent advances in imaging technology and three-dimensional intracardiac mapping systems have significantly improved the safety and efficacy of VT ablation procedures. Thus, ablation for VT should no longer be reserved as a last-resort bailout procedure and should move into the realm of routine electrophysiology treatment.

Linear ablation lesions for control of unmappable ventricular tachycardia in patients with ischemic and nonischemic cardiomyopathy

Circulation, 2000

Background-Conventional activation mapping is difficult without inducible, stable ventricular tachycardia (VT). Methods and Results-We evaluated 16 patients with drug refractory, unimorphic, unmappable VT. Nine patients had ischemic and 7 had nonischemic cardiomyopathy. All patients had implantable defibrillators and had experienced 6 to 55 VT episodes during the month before treatment. Patients underwent bipolar catheter mapping during baseline rhythm. The amount of endocardium with an abnormal electrogram amplitude was estimated using fluoroscopy in 3 patients and a magnetic mapping system (CARTO) in 13 patients. For the magnetic mapping, normal endocardium was defined by an amplitude Ͼ1.5 mV; this measurement was based on sinus rhythm maps in 6 patients who did not have structural heart disease. Radiofrequency point lesions extended linearly from the "dense scar," which had a voltage amplitude Ͻ0.5 mV, to anatomic boundaries or normal endocardium. To limit radiofrequency applications, 12-lead ECG during VT and pacemapping guided placement of linear lesions. No new antiarrhythmic drug therapy was added. The amount of endocardium demonstrating an abnormal electrogram amplitude ranged from 25 to 127 cm 2. A total of 8 to 87 radiofrequency lesions (mean, 55) produced a median of 4 linear lesions that had an average length of 3.9 cm (range, 1.4 to 9.4 cm). Twelve patients (75%) have been free of VT during 3 to 36 months of follow-up (median, 8 months); 4 patients had VT episodes at 1, 3, 9, and 13 months, respectively. Only one of these patient had frequent VT. Conclusions-Radiofrequency linear endocardial lesions extending from the dense scar to the normal myocardium or anatomic boundary seem effective in controlling unmappable VT.

New Trends in High Risk Ventricular Tachycardia Catheter Ablation

Journal of Cardiovascular Disease Research, 2019

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) is one of the major causes of sudden cardiac death (SCD). In general, VT could be managed with antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) therapy, catheter ablation and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD). While the AADs therapy and catheter ablation have been shown to reduce the recurrence of VT, only the ICD therapy is effective in aborting SCD. The recently published VANISH trial reveals that VT catheter ablation significantly decreases the rate of death, VT storm and appropriate ICD shock comparing with an escalation of AADs therapy for ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM). However, the mapping strategies and feasibility of VT catheter ablation are often limited by the hemodynamically intolerant VT. Substrate modification strategy and percutaneous left ventricular assist device (pLVAD) are often used to overcome the hemodynamic intolerance. So far there are no large-scale randomized clinical trials comparing different mapping strategies in the setting of hemodynamically unstable VT, specifically when it comes to risk stratification for patients with hemodynamic instability. The aim of the present article is to systemically review different VT mapping strategies, the role of pLVAD in hemodynamically intolerant VT ablation with a special consideration of high risk VT.

Long-Term Outcome After Catheter Ablation of Ventricular Tachycardia in Patients With Nonischemic Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Circulation. Arrhythmia and electrophysiology, 2016

Catheter ablation (CA) of ventricular tachycardia (VT) in patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy can be challenging because of the complexity of underlying substrates. We sought to determine the long-term outcomes of endocardial and adjuvant epicardial CA in nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. We examined 282 consecutive patients (aged 59±15 years, 80% males) with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy who underwent CA. Ablation was guided by activation/entrainment mapping for tolerated VT and pacemapping/targeting of abnormal electrograms for unmappable VT. Adjuvant epicardial ablation was performed for recurrent VT or persistent inducibility after endocardial-only ablation. Epicardial ablation was performed in 90 (32%) patients. Before ablation, patients failed a median of 2 antiarrhythmic drugs), including amiodarone, in 166 (59%) patients. The median follow-up after the last procedure was 48 (19-67) months. Overall, VT-free survival was 69% at 60-month follow-up. Transplan...

Catheter Ablation for Hemodynamically Unstable Monomorphic Ventricular Tachycardia

Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology, 2000

Ablation of Unstable Ventricular Tachycardia. Introduction: Hemodynamic collapse precludes extensive catheter mapping to identify focal target regions in many patients with ventricular tachycardia (VT) associated with heart disease. This study tested the feasibility of catheter ablation of poorly tolerated VTs by targeting a region identified during sinus rhythm.