Cardiac sympathetic denervation for conventional treatment refractory arrhythmias

Cardiac sympathetic denervation (CSD) using video-assisted thoracoscopy is a therapeutic alternative for cardiac arrhythmias refractory to conventional treatment in patients with ventricular structural heart disease, mainly due to ischemia, and in patients with hereditary conditions associated with sudden death such as long QT syndrome. In general, it is performed in cases with recurrent episodes of ventricular tachycardia or electrical storm, in spite of conventional treatment. The objective of this study is to show the experience of this institution with DSCI in refractory patients to conventional management and the results derived from its application.

This was an observational retrospective study. The records of patients with a history of ventricular arrhythmias treated in our center with pharmacological treatment, catheter ablation, or implantation of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), who underwent video-assisted CSD were analyzed and described.

A total of six patients were included in the study. Patients with structural heart disease were the most frequent, median age was 56 ± 16 years; 67% were male. The procedure evolved without complications in any of the patients and an overall significant improvement was observed. A 24-month follow-up was conducted; two patients had recurrence episodes presenting as slow ventricular tachycardia without severe symptoms and a third patient presented an episode of ventricular fibrillation aborted by the ICD.

Video-assisted CSD should be considered as a treatment option for patients with potentially dangerous arrhythmias that do not respond to conventional treatment, especially in recurrent ventricular tachycardia.