Surgical Catheter Ablation of Ventricular Tachycardia Using Left Thoracotomy in a Patient with Hindered Access to the Left Ventricle

Percutaneous Interventricular Septal Access Guided by Subcostal Echocardiography and Fluoroscopy for Ventricular Tachycardia Ablation in a Patient with Aortic and Mitral Mechanical Valves

Mechanical prosthetic aortic and mitral valves preclude either a retrograde aortic or transseptal approach to the left ventricular (LV) endocardium. Several operators have reported on the application of nonconventional techniques for ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation including transventricular septal puncture, epicardial approach, transmechanical valve approach, transcoronary venous approach, and transapical approach. Incorporating transventricular access to the LV under intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) guidance has been previously attempted in VT ablation procedures in patients with both aortic and mitral mechanical valves. However, while ICE is readily used in the United States, its use is less common in Europe, since the health insurance agencies largely do not cover the costs of ICE catheters. We therefore herein present a case of VT ablation in the LV using a transventricular approach in a patient who underwent mechanical double valve replacement performed under subcostal echocardiographic and fluoroscopic guidance.

Ablation of ventricular tachycardia by direct left ventricle puncture through a minithoracotomy after double valve replacement: a case report and literature review

We herein describe a 33-year-old woman with a mechanical aortic and mitral valve who developed repetitive monomorphic ventricular tachycardia with unstable hemodynamics. Catheter ablation by direct puncture at the left ventricular apex through a minithoracotomy successfully terminated the ventricular tachycardia, which had originated from the apical-septal endocardium in the left ventricle, despite the hindrance to routine access. No procedure-related complications or recurrence of the clinical ventricular tachycardia developed during a 66-month follow-up, demonstrating that endocardial ablation through direct cardiac cavity puncture can be considered in select cases.

Hybrid Ablation of Ventricular Tachycardia: a Single-Centre Experience

Background

The long-term results of endocardial and percutaneous epicardial catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia (VT) in patients with structural heart disease are disappointing. Arrhythmia recurrence after ablation and VTs with an epicardial substrate remain a clinical challenge. The purpose of this manuscript is to elaborate on feasibility and potential advantages of a surgical hybrid ablation (i.e., combined endocardial and surgical epicardial ablation) based on our initial experience consisting of five cases.

Methods

Endocardial electro-anatomical voltage and activation maps were created (Carto, Biosense Webster, California, USA), and endocardial radiofrequency (RF) applications were applied at exit sites, low voltage areas and isthmi. Next, after surgical access, epicardial voltage and activation maps were produced in combination with visual assessment of the epicardial substrate. Epicardial low voltage areas, isthmi and exit sites were identified and ablated using RF energy.

Results

After the procedure, VT was non-inducible in 80% of the cases (4/5, in one case no induction was performed). No peri-procedural complications occurred. After a mean follow-up of 18 months, one patient remained in sinus rhythm without, and 2 with use of antiarrhythmic drugs. One patient needed a redo procedure after 21 months, and in one patient the amiodarone dose was raised because of 2 sustained VTs. After this additional treatment, both kept sinus rhythm.

Conclusions

Hybrid VT ablation is a safe and effective patient tailored procedure that comprises the major advantage of combining direct anatomical visualization and enhanced catheter stability with high-density 3D mapping. As a consequence, this procedure should be considered as a valid treatment option in complex VT management.

Alternative Approaches for Ablation of Resistant Ventricular Tachycardia

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation is usually performed with an ablation catheter that delivers unipolar radiofrequency (RF) energy to eliminate the re-entry circuit responsible for VT. However, there are some instances when unipolar RF ablation fails, notably in VTs with a deep intramural origin, or cases in which epicardial access is not attainable due to prior cardiac surgery. To overcome these limitations, several alternative approaches have been used in clinical practice, including alcohol ablation or coil embolization, simultaneous unipolar or bipolar RF ablation, surgical ablation, or noninvasive ablation with stereotactic radiosurgery. This review article describes some of these alternative techniques.

Epicardial ablation for ventricular tachycardia: a European multicenter study

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to describe the epicardial percutaneous ablation experience of 6 European high-volume ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation centers.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Data from 218 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD, n=85 [39.0%]), idiopathic dilated of patients with idiopathic VT cardiomyopathy (IDCM, n=67 [30.7%]), arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy (ARCD/C, n=13 [6%]), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM, n=5 [2.3%]), and absence of structural heart disease (n=48 [22%]) undergoing epicardial subxyphoid access for VT ablation were collected. The epicardial approach was attempted as first-line treatment in 78 patients (35.8%). Acute prevention of VT inducibility was obtained in 156 patients (71.6%). There were no procedure-related deaths. Cardiac tamponade occurred in 8 patients, and abdominal hemorrhage in 1 patient. Six patients died of electrical storm recurrence within 48 hours from the procedure. After a mean follow-up of 17.3±18.2 months, 60 patients (31.4%) presented with VT recurrence (39.3% of IDCM patients; 34.7% of CAD patients; 30.8% of ARVD/C patients; 25% of HCM patients; 17.1% of patients with idiopathic VT). Twenty patients (10.4%) died during follow-up (12 of heart failure, 2 of cardiac arrest, and 6 of extracardiac causes).

CONCLUSIONS

In experienced centers, epicardial ablation of VT has an acceptable risk and favorable outcome. In selected patients, it is reasonable to consider as a first-line ablation approach.

The Pericardial Space: Obtaining Access and an Approach to Fluoroscopic Anatomy

The pericardial space is now increasingly used as a means and vantage point for mapping and ablating various arrhythmias. In this review, present techniques to access the pericardial space are examined and potential improvements over this technique discussed. The authors then examine in detail the regional anatomy of the pericardial space relevant to the major arrhythmias treated in contemporary electrophysiology. In each of these sections, emphasis is placed on anatomic fluoroscopic correlation and avoiding complications that may result.