Premature Ventricular Complexes With 2 QRS Morphologies: Cardiac Crux Insights and an Endocardial Ablation Strategy
Thai Duy Vo1, Minh Nhut Nguyen2, Chin-Yu Lin3
1Division of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Cardiovascular Center, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei City, Taiwan; Department of Arrhythmology, Cho Ray Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Insights
Idiopathic crux premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) with dual QRS morphologies can originate from a single focus. Successful ablation requires bilateral endocardial mapping and lesion enhancement, potentially avoiding epicardial access.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Electrophysiology
- Cardiac Ablation
Background:
- Premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) originating from the cardiac crux present challenges due to intramural or epicardial substrates.
- Localization and ablation of crux PVCs are often complicated by substrate location.
Background:
Premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) from the cardiac crux often have intramural or epicardial substrates, complicating localization and ablation.
Case Summary:
A 53-year-old man presented with symptomatic, flecainide-refractory PVCs with a 24-hour Holter burden of 41.8%. An electrocardiogram showed frequent PVCs with 2 alternating QRS morphologies (right and left bundle branch block), both with a superior axis and subtle V1 to V2 and/or precordial differences, suggesting a single crux focus with preferential exits. Proximal coronary sinus mapping did not reveal early activation. Stepwise bilateral endocardial mapping identified the earliest basal inferoseptal activation. Standard irrigated radiofrequency catheter ablation caused only transient suppression. Half-normal saline irrigation at the earliest sites and a discrete prepotential achieved complete PVC elimination.
Discussion:
This case highlights idiopathic crux PVCs with variable morphologies from an intramural focus with preferential exits. A bilateral endocardial lesion-enhancement strategy may obviate epicardial access.
Take-Home Messages:
Dual morphologies may share 1 crux focus, and bilateral endocardial mapping and lesion enhancement may be required for successful ablation.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
ECG Interpretation of Arrhythmias II: Atrial, Junctional and Ventricular Arrhythmias
Cardiac Action Potential
The cardiac action potential process involves a series of phases characterized by the movement of ions across the cardiac cell membranes, leading to the depolarization and repolarization of the cardiac myocytes.
Ionic Basis of Cardiac Action Potentials
Mechanism of Cardiac Arrhythmias
Electrophysiology of Normal Cardiac Rhythm
Dysrhythmias IV: Characteristics of Bradyarrhythmias
Cardiomyopathy V: Interprofessional Care


