Video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathectomy for congenital long QT syndromes

The feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathectomy (VATS) for congenital long QT syndrome were assessed in four patients who had frequent syncopal events before the surgeries. Under general anaesthesia, the pleural cavity was entered via two small incisions in the left third and fifth intercostal spaces at the mid-axillary line. The left thoracic sympathetic chain was identified and resected from T2-T5. The lower one third of the left stellate ganglion was also resected. VATS resulted in a significant shortening in corrected QT intervals (QTc) in three patients, the average QTc of the four patients immediately before and after VATS was 538 +/- 76 and 512 +/- 57 ms, respectively (P = 0.047). The heart rate remained unchanged after the VATS (67 +/- 4 vs 69 +/- 4 beats/min, P > 0.05). There were no major perioperative complications apart from mild ptosis of the left upper eyelid in one patient who recovered in the following days. There was no recurrence in syncopal events after a 3-month follow-up. VATS is a safe and effective technique for left cardiac sympathectomy in patients with congenital long QT syndromes.