title: Degenerating regenerating torsades de pointes.
abstract: Ventricular fibrillation (VF) commonly ends in death. Isolated case reports describe the uncommon occurrence of spontaneous termination of VF. Torsades de pointes (TdP), a peculiar form of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia associated with a prolonged QT interval on the surface electrocardiogram, most often spontaneously terminates and then returns to the underlying rhythm. Here, we present an unusual case of TdP degenerating into VF, reorganizing into TdP, and then spontaneously terminating. Our case suggests that the mechanisms underlying the maintenance of TdP and VF are not dissimilar. The precipitants to this event and the likely mechanisms operative are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Ottawa Heart Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada. mperrin@ottawaheart.ca
authors.forename: Mark Jonathan
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Perrin
authors.forename: Michael Howard
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Gollob
authors.forename: David Hugh
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Birnie
authors.forename: Pablo Balbuena
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Nery
authors.forename: Arieh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Keren
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D016171:Torsades de Pointes / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology