title: Short-term normalization of ventricular repolarization by transcatheter ablation in a patient with suspected Brugada Syndrome.
abstract: We report a 30 year old male without structural heart disease who presented with recurrent nocturnal syncope and aborted sudden cardiac death. 12-lead ECG showed elevated ST in inferior leads and short coupled premature ventricular complexes (PVCs). Propafenone challenge suggested a diagnosis of an atypical Brugada syndrome. Two morphological types of PVCs and ventricular fibrillation (VF) were induced during propafenone challenge test. He underwent two ablation procedures in right ventricular inflow tract and left ventricular post-inferior septum region by pace-mapping, respectively. After ablation, VF could not be induced and the elevated ST segments normalized. Two subsequent propafenone challenge tests were also negative. Nonetheless, elevated ST segments and PVCs reappeared by 1 month follow-up. An implantable defibrillator was recommended, but the patient declined for financial reasons. Unfortunately, he suffered a sudden cardiac death at home 10 weeks post-ablation. These findings suggest that short-term normalization of ventricular repolarization possibly due to radiofrequency ablation may occur in Brugada syndrome. However, the transient nature of this finding suggests that it is not a reliable indicator of protection against sudden cardiac death.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300# Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, People's Republic of China. qjshan@njmu.edu.cn
authors.forename: Qijun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Shan
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Minglong
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jiangang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Chun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Dongjie
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Kejiang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D053840:Brugada Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control*