Radiofrequency catheter ablation of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Background: Compared to other non-ischemic substrates, there is limited data on the role and outcome of catheter ablation in HCM. The objective of this study is to assess the safety and efficacy of catheter ablation for the treatment of VT in patients with HCM.

Methods: Fourteen patients with HCM and drug refractory VT who underwent catheter ablation at a single center were included in this study.

Ventricular Tachycardia in Granulomatous Myocarditis: Role of Catheter Ablation.

Granulomatous myocarditis is an inflammatory disease of the myocardium, characterized by lymphocytic infiltration with characteristic granuloma formation. Although a host of disease processes can elicit myocardial granulomas, two common entities are cardiac sarcoidosis and cardiac tuberculosis. Cardiac arrhythmias in this condition are frequent and management of ventricular arrhythmias can be challenging, especially in those with drug-refractory ventricular tachycardia and electrical storm.

Catheter Ablation for Ventricular Arrhythmias in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators are the mainstay of therapy for prevention of sudden cardiac death in high-risk patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Catheter ablation is a useful option for patients with recurrent, drug refractory monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT), and device therapy. Compared with other nonischemic substrates, there are limited data on the role and outcomes of catheter ablation in HCM.

Best Practices for the Catheter Ablation of Ventricular Arrhythmias.

Techniques for catheter ablation have evolved to effectively treat a range of ventricular arrhythmias. Pre-operative electrocardiographic and cardiac imaging data are very useful in understanding the arrhythmogenic substrate and can guide mapping and ablation. In this review, we focus on best practices for catheter ablation, with emphasis on tailoring ablation strategies, based on the presence or absence of structural heart disease, underlying clinical status, and hemodynamic stability of the ventricular arrhythmia.

Prognostic value of fluorine-18 fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission computed tomography in patients with unexplained atrioventricular block.

Background: The cause of atrioventricular conduction block (AVB) remains unexplained in a significant number of patients. Granulomatous myocarditis is an uncommon but important cause of AVB. Fluorine-18 fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission computed tomography (18-FDG PET) scan has emerged as a sensitive tool for diagnosing granulomatous myocarditis.

Accelerated coronary atherosclerosis and H syndrome.

A 12-year-old boy with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, presented with acute myocardial infarction. Intracoronary thrombolysis with urokinase restored TIMI III flow in the culprit vessel. After stabilisation with medical therapy, unusual clinical findings in the form of cutaneous hyperpigmentation and hypertrichosis, affecting the lower extremities, were appreciated.

Recurrent chylopericardium.

A 19-year-old male presented with recurrent episodes of pericardial effusion. On evaluation, he was diagnosed to have idiopathic chylous effusion. As there was persistent pericardial collection, chemical pericardiodesis was done.