Bail-out Ablation of Ventricular Tachycardia Electrical Storm in a Patient with a Durable Left Ventricular Assist Device

Intern Med. 2023 Aug 1;62(15):2201-2204. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.0796-22. Epub 2022 Dec 7.

Abstract

The therapeutic strategy for sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) during left ventricular assist device usage remains unclear. We encountered a patient with durable left ventricular assist device who presented sustained VT. Electrophysiological mapping was able to be established appropriately owing to the robust mechanical hemodynamics support despite inter-device interference. The three-dimensional activation map of clinically documented VT demonstrated that the propagation exited from the right ventricular apex through the critical isthmus located at the epicardium or interventricular septum, which was successfully treated by catheter ablation at the exit site. Further experiences like ours should be accumulated to establish a therapeutic strategy.

Keywords: LVAD; electrical storm; heart failure; ventricular tachyarrhythmia.

MeSH terms

  • Catheter Ablation* / methods
  • Heart Ventricles
  • Heart-Assist Devices*
  • Hemodynamics / physiology
  • Humans
  • Tachycardia, Ventricular* / surgery
  • Treatment Outcome