The characteristics of verapamil-sensitive idiopathic left ventricular tachycardia combined with a left accessory pathway and the effect of radiofrequency catheter ablation.
OBJECTIVE
Verapamil-sensitive idiopathic left ventricular tachycardia (ILVT) combined with a left accessory pathway (AP) is a relatively rare condition. This study examines the characteristics of patients with this condition and the effect of radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA).


RESULTS
Catheter ablation was performed on 140 ILVT patients at a single centre from January 2004 to December 2009. A concealed left AP was found in seven patients (5%), all of whom were male, with an average age of 21 ± 9 years. Sustained ILVT and orthodromic atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia (AVRT) were induced in all seven patients. Retrograde activation through a bystander AP occurred concomitantly with ILVT, with an average tachycardia length of 346 ± 29 ms (range 310-400 ms). The location of the APs in four patients was left posterior, two of which showed a slow and decremental property, while in three it was left lateral. Ablation via a retrograde transaortic approach was performed in the seven patients. The left AP was ablated first in six patients, but ILVT was no longer induced in one and became non-sustained in another. In the seventh patient, ILVT was ablated first and this proved successful.


CONCLUSIONS
Among patients with IVLT, 5% had a concomitant left AP, most of who were young men. The location of the left AP was mainly posterior and lateral, with 30% showing a slow and decremental property. Idiopathic left ventricular tachycardia and AP should be ablated simultaneously.
Department of Cardiology,  Cardiovascular Institute and Fuwai Hospital,  Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 167 Beilishi Road, Beijing 100037,  China.
Ji-qiang
JQ
Hu
Jian
J
Ma
Qian
Q
Yang
Zi-li
ZL
Liao
Yu
Y
Hou
Shu
S
Zhang
D058606:Accessory Atrioventricular Bundle / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004350:Drug Residues; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013611:Tachycardia, Atrioventricular Nodal Reentry / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014700:Verapamil / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055815:Young Adult
D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D014700:Verapamil