Catheter Ablation of Idiopathic Ventricular Arrhythmias Arising From the Cardiac Outflow Tracts - Recent Insights and Techniques for the Successful Treatment of Common and Challenging Cases

Abstract

Ventricular arrhythmias (VA), like premature ventricular contractions (PVC) and ventricular tachycardia (VT) in patients without structural heart disease (idiopathic VA), mainly arise from the right and left ventricular outflow tracts (RVOT/LVOT). The prognosis for OT VA is generally good in the majority of patients, but there is potential for developing dilated cardiomyopathies from the high burden of VA, as well as a certain risk for sudden cardiac death because of fast monomorphic VT or polymorphic VT triggered by short-coupling PVC. Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) has evolved into a widely accepted treatment strategy for patients suffering from VAs. A detailed knowledge of surface ECGs and complex cardiac anatomy, especially within the ventricular OTs, is essential for the understanding of cardiac OT-VAs and highly related to safe and successful RFCA procedures. This review article focuses on RFCA of idiopathic VA arising from the cardiac OT as well as adjacent regions and will illustrate recent insights and technical issues. (Circ J 2016; 80: 1073-1086).