title: Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy with implantable cardioverter defibrillator placement in pregnancy.
abstract: Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is a disorder that predominantly affects the right side of the heart and causes ventricular arrhythmias. In many patients the disease is familial. ARVC may account for as many as 5% of unexpected sudden deaths. We report a case of ARVC diagnosed at 21 weeks gestation treated with an implantable cardiac defibrillator. The remainder of her pregnancy was uneventful and the patient underwent induction of labor at 39 weeks gestation with a passive second stage forceps-assisted delivery resulting in delivery of a normal infant. In the gravida with cardiac arrhythmias, defibrillator placement may offer a safe, life-preserving treatment and should be considered.
authors.affiliation: Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Texas Houston Medical School, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. nora.m.doyle@uth.tmc.edu
authors.forename: Nora M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Doyle
authors.forename: Manju
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monga
authors.forename: Baxter
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Montgomery
authors.forename: Anne H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Dougherty
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019571:Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second