title: Thoracoscopic microwave epicardial ablation: feasibility for the treatment of idiopathic sinus node tachycardia.
abstract: Inappropriate sinus tachycardia is a potentially debilitating condition with tachycardia emanating from the sinus node region. Endocardial radiofrequency energy ablation is the current preferred mode of treatment for symptomatic medication failures. Phrenic nerve damage can result from this procedure. We report a case in which the potential for phrenic nerve damage was avoided by using a thoracoscopic approach to displace the phrenic nerve posteriorly and perform epicardial microwave ablation. This resulted in the successful treatment of a patient with highly symptomatic inappropriate sinus tachycardia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Long Beach Memorial Hospital, Irvine, California, USA. ashandling@aol.com
authors.forename: Adrian H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Shandling
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rieders
authors.forename: Daniel M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Bethencourt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008872:Microwaves / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010496:Pericardium; D010791:Phrenic Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology; D013616:Tachycardia, Sinus / Q000601:surgery*; D013906:Thoracoscopy