Radiofrequency ablation of idiopathic right ventricular tachycardia

This paper presents our experience with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for idiopathic ventricular tachycardia (VT) arising from right ventricle in 12 patients (pts). The age range of patients was 21-50, with a mean of 38.5 years. Ten out of 12 were females, 1 patient had candia failure due to almost incessant VT while the rest had normal left ventricular function. Twelve pts had VT arising from the right ventricle; of those, 9 were from the outflow truct, 2 from the RV apex, and 1 from the RV inflow. In all pts the diagnostic study and therapeutic RFA were combined in a single procedure. Pacemapping and local activation time were used to guide the site of RFA in pts with VT arising from the right ventricle. RFA was successful in 11 of the 12 pts(91%). Number of RF applications were 1-27, mean 9.6; fluoroscopy time were 4-75, mean 26.9 minutes. RFA for idiopathic RV has a high success rate. This mode of treatment should be considered as a non-pharmacological curative treatment for symptomatic pts.