Surgery for ventricular arrhythmia.
Years of frustration of cardiac surgeons attempting to control intractable ventricular arrhythmia finally ended when the team of Harken, Josephson, and Horowitz performed electrophysiologically directed left ventricular endocardial resection and reported their early results 10 years ago. The scientific background for this breakthrough is reviewed and some subsequent modifications of their procedure are described. The current status of arrhythmia surgery since the advent of the automatic internal cardioverter-defibrillator is described: the two methodologies are complementary, not competitive.
Department of Surgery, University of Massachusetts, Worcester 01655.
J M
JM
Moran
D000818:Animals; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000266:history* / Q000601:surgery; D006352:Heart Ventricles; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans