title: Ventricular arrhythmias originating from the epicardial ventricular outflow tract complicated with peripartum cardiomyopathy.
abstract: We report two cases undergoing electrophysiological studies for ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) associated with peripartum cardiomyopathy. Those two cases demonstrated that subsequent pregnancies might result in deterioration of VAs even though they exhibit no symptoms of heart failure. Those findings may clinically impact the decision making when women with a history of peripartum cardiomyopathy desire to become pregnant again. The VA foci in both cases were determined or suggested to be in the epicardium of the ventricular outflow tract from the results of the catheter ablation and electrophysiological study. Therefore, catheter ablation of those VAs may be feasible but challenging.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Disease, University of Alabama at Birmingham, VH B147, 1670 University Boulevard, 1530 3rd AVE S, Birmingham, AL 35294-0019, USA. takumi-y@fb4.so-net.ne.jp
authors.forename: Takumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: H Thomas
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: McElderry
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muto
authors.forename: Taro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Yoshimasa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Harish
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Doppalapudi
authors.forename: Andrew E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Epstein
authors.forename: Vance J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Plumb
authors.forename: G Neal
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Kay
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014694:Ventricular Outflow Obstruction / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*