[Surgical versus nonsurgical therapy of fatal tachyarrhythmias]

Interventional treatment is necessary for fatal drug-refractory tachyarrhythmias. Thirty-three, 33 and 16 patients (pts) with intractable ventricular tachycardia (VT) and/or fibrillation (VF) were managed with cryosurgery (CS), electrical catheter ablation (EA) and implantable pacer-cardioverter-defibrillator (PCD), respectively. Seventy-six and 43 pts with sudden death risk in the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW) also underwent CS and EA, respectively. CS success rates were 85% in VT/VF and 95% in WPW. Those of EA were 48% and 81%, respectively. EA success rates were 100% (6/6) in idiopathic verapamil-sensitive VT originated from LV, 0% (0/2) in VT following TOF repair and 0% (0/2) in idiopathic VT originated from right ventricular outflow tract. A new VT developed in 5 of 11 pts with arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD) following EA. PCD was effective for prevention from sudden death in idiopathic VF and pleomorphic VT. All of pharmacologic, EA and CS therapies were relatively effective in ischemic heart disease without low EF. In conclusion, the decision of VT-VF therapy may be affected by the underlying heart disease and EA may be established as an initial intervention for high risk WPW.