title: Radiofrequency catheter ablation of premature ventricular contractions originating in the right ventricular outflow tract.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate if radiofrequency catheter ablation is an effective procedure for the treatment of right ventricular outflow tract premature ventricular contractions (RVOT-PVC) and ascertain if it results in an improvement of symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study with 30 consecutive patients (mean age 40 +/- 13 years, 25 females), with no apparent structural cardiopathy, with very frequent (mean density of 1,263 +/- 593/h) RVOT-PVC, symptomatic for more than one year (mean = 74 months) and resistant to antiarrhythmic drugs (3 +/- 1.7, including beta-blockers), who underwent radiofrequency catheter ablation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the first procedure, there were 23 initial successful cases (76.6%) and 7 initial failures (23.4%). Four patients experienced relapses, two of whom did not undergo the second procedure. The second procedure was carried out in 9 patients (7 initial failures and 2 relapses), and there was success in 5 additional patients, one of them by epicardial access. The final success rate was 80% (24/30), and there were no major complications. After a mean follow-up of 14 +/- 6 months, in the successful group there was a reduction greater than 90% in density of premature ventricular contractions (PVC) (24/24; p<0.0001) and a resulting absence of symptoms in the majority of patients (23/24; p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Radiofrequency catheter ablation is a safe and effective treatment for patients with persistent and symptomatic PVC with RVOT morphology.
authors.affiliation: Instituto do Coração, Hospital das Clínicas, FM, USP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. francisco.darrieux@incor.usp.br
authors.forename: Francisco C C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Darrieux
authors.forename: Maurício I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Scanavacca
authors.forename: Denise T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Hachul
authors.forename: Sissy L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.forename: André B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: D'Avilla
authors.forename: César J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Gruppi
authors.forename: Paulo J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Moffa
authors.forename: Eduardo A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Sosa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012086:Reoperation; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014694:Ventricular Outflow Obstruction / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D018879:Ventricular Premature Complexes / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*