Myocardial dissection following successful chemical ablation of ventricular tachycardia.
We describe a case of fatal myocardial rupture and tamponade following a successful transcoronary chemical ablation of incessant ventricular tachycardia. Pathological examination showed a subepicardial dissection of the heart at the ablation site with fibrous and fatty degeneration of the myocardium. The present report calls for caution, underlying a possible lethal complication of ethanol ablation which has not been described before.
Verna
E
E
Division of Cardiology, Ospedale Multizonale, Varese, Italy.
Repetto
S
S
Saveri
C
C
Forgione
N
N
Merchant
S
S
Binaghi
G
G
D000368:Aged; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D001344:Autopsy; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000187:drug effects; D006341:Heart Rupture / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006352:Heart Ventricles; D006801:Humans; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*
D000431:Ethanol