title: Early and long-term results of catheter ablation in patients with incessant ventricular tachycardia.
abstract: Catheter ablation of sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT) with high energy DC shock (360-400 J) was performed in 11 patients with incessant VT (duration greater than 24 hours), refractory to antiarrhythmic drugs, and DC cardioversion.  There were ten patients with coronary disease and one patient had dilated cardiomyopathy.  Direct current energy was delivered at the earliest endocardial activation in six patients (group I) or at the area of slow conduction in five patients (group II).  Incessant VT was terminated by DC ablation in nine patients (82%).  After the ablation procedure VT remained inducible in four patients in group I (67%) and in one patient (20%) in group II.  Two patients in group II had to go to emergent surgery.  During the mean follow-up of 31 +/- 26 (1-66) months nonfatal VT recurrences occurred in five patients in group I and in one patient in group II.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, University Hospital, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Trappe
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wenzlaff
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Lichtlen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000150:complications; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000150:complications; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*