Recurrent syncope for over a decade due to idiopathic ventricular fibrillation

A 35-year-old man had a history of recurrent syncope for more than a decade. During a witnessed episode, an ambulatory electrocardiographic recording showed ventricular flutter/fibrillation that lasted for 2 1/2 minutes and terminated spontaneously without adverse neurologic sequelae. No structural heart disease and no possible etiologic factor for the ventricular tachyarrhythmia was found. The patient received an automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator. Review of the literature suggests that the automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator is a valid option in idiopathic ventricular fibrillation in young individuals to avoid the potential risk of recurrent cardiac arrest.