Reentrant Ventricular Outflow Tract Tachycardia Arising from Focal Scar Detected by Delayed Enhancement Magnetic Resonance Imaging

A 58‐year‐old man was referred to our emergency room with hemodynamically unstable sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT). The morphology of the VT exhibited a left bundle branch block and inferior axis deviation. He had no past history of cardiovascular disease. Echocardiography, cardiac catheterization, cardiac biopsy, gallium scintigram, myocardial scintigram, T1,T2‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and gadolinium‐enhanced cine MRI did not detect any structural heart disease or abnormal cardiac function. However, delayed‐enhancement MRI (DE‐MRI) detected a focal intramural scar within the septal ventricular outflow tract. An electrophysiological study revealed a sustained VT with several morphologies and the entrainment phenomenon. Radiofrequency catheter ablation to the site corresponding to the focal scar detected by DE‐MRI successfully eliminated the VT. (PACE 2012;35:e349–e352)     

Long-Term Results of Cryoablation with a New Cryoprobe to Eliminate Chronic Atrial Fibrillation Associated with Mitral Valve Disease

The purpose of this study was to examine the performance of a new cryoprobe in the treatment of chronic atrial fibrillation (AF) associated with mitral valve disease. The study included 66 patients undergoing mitral valve replacement. The mean AF duration was 9.0 ± 9.0 years and mean left atrial (LA) was diameter 57 ± 10 mm. Cryoablation (−60°C) was applied to four pulmonary vein (PV) orifices over 2–3 minute. The spherical tip (2-cm in diameter) of the cryoprobe is capable of ablating the left atrium near the PV, as well as the PV ostium with a single cryoablation. After cryoablation, mitral valve surgery or a combined surgical procedure were performed in 66 patients. There were no intraoperative complications. Sinus rhythm was restored in 60 patients (91%) immediately after the operation. Recurrent AF was treated with antiarrhythmic drugs and/or direct current cardioversion in 43 patients (72%). At discharge, 48 patients (72%) were in sinus rhythm. During a mean follow-up period of 31 ± 16 months, 40 patients (61%) were in sinus rhythm with (29) or without antiarrhythmic drugs (11). In patients in sinus rhythm at the end of the follow-up period, the duration of preoperative AF duration was significantly shorter (P < 0.05) and the preoperative LA diameter and cardiothoracic ratio were significantly smaller than in patients who were in AF (both for P < 0.005). Using this new cryoprobe, sinus rhythm was restored and maintained in 61% of patients with chronic AF and mitral valve disease with a 12–15 minute cryoablation procedure.     

Retrograde Supernormal Conduction in Concealed Accessory Atrioventricular Pathway Following Catheter Ablation

Supernormal Conduction in Concealed Kent Following Ablation. A case is presented of a 63-year-old woman with a concealed accessory pathway that exhibited retrograde supernormal conduction after radiofrequency catheter ablation. Although ventricular pacing at a slow rate revealed no retrograde conduction over the accessory pathway following ablation, the tachycardia recurred 15 months later. During ventricular pacing there was retrograde 1:1 conduction over the accessory pathway at a fast rate while there was intermittent VA dissociation with rare retrograde conduction at the slower rate. Ventricular extrastimulus testing demonstrated a supernormal conduction zone of the coupling interval. Thus, accessory pathways may exhibit supernormal conduction after catheter ablation. Pacing should be performed at both slow and fast rates to confirm the presence of conduction block following ablation.     

Relationship between severity and symptoms of reflux oesophagitis in elderly patients in Japan

Since information concerning reflux oesophagitis in the elderly is limited, particularly in Japan, the severity and symptomatic profiles of reflux oesophagitis in elderly patients were investigated. One hundred and nineteen patients with reflux oesophagitis found among 2278 endoscopy cases between 1993 and 1996 were investigated in this study. The patients were divided into two groups, elderly and non-elderly. The severity of reflux oesophagitis was estimated by the Los Angeles classification. The presence or absence of typical symptoms (heartburn and regurgitation) was determined by interview. Reflux oesophagitis was not only more frequently found in the elderly group, but was more severe than in the non-elderly. Although the degree of manifestation of typical symptoms was similar between the elderly and the non-elderly with high-grade oesophagitis, the elderly patients with mild reflux oesophagitis were less symptomatic than the non-elderly. Mild reflux oesophagitis in the elderly may be missed due to its rarity of typical reflux symptoms and a substantial number of elderly persons might have subclinical reflux oesophagitis.     

Verapamil-Sensitive Left Anterior Fascicular Ventricular Tachycardia: Results of Radiofrequency Ablation in Six Patients

Verapamil-Sensitive Left Anterior Fascicular VT. Introduction: Verapamil-sensitive left ventricular tachycardia (VT) with a right bundle branch block (RBBB) configuration and left-axis deviation bas been demonstrated to arise from the left posterior fascicle, and can be cured by catheter ablation guided by Purkinje potentials. Verapamil-sensitive VT with an RBBB configuration and right-axis deviation is rare, and may originate in the left anterior fascicle. Methods and Results: Six patients (five men and one woman, mean age 54 ± 15 years) with a history of sustained VT with an RBBB configuration and right-axis deviation underwent electrophysiologic study and radiofrequency (RF) ablation. VT was slowed and terminated by intravenous administration of verapamil in all six patients. Left ventricular endocardial mapping during VT identified the earliest ventricular activation in the anterolateral wall of the left ventricle in all patients. RF current delivered to this site suppressed the VT in three patients (ablation at the VT exit). The fused Purkinje potential was recorded at that site, and preceded the QRS complex by 35, 30, and 20 msec, with pace mapping showing an optimal match between the paced rhythm and the clinical VT. In the remaining three patients, RF catheter ablation at the site of the earliest ventricular activation was unsuccessful. In these three patients, Purkinje potential was recorded in the diastolic phase during VT at the mid-anterior left ventricular septum. The Purkinje potential preceded the QRS during VT by 66, 56, and 63 msec, and catheter ablation at these sites was successful (ablation at the zone of slow conduction). During 19 to 46 months of follow-up (mean 32 ± 9 months), one patient in the group of ablation at the VT exit bad sustained VT with a left bundle branch block configuration and an inferior axis, and one patient in the group of ablation at the zone of slow conduction experienced typical idiopathic VT with an RBBB configuration and left-axis deviation. Conclusion: Verapamil-sensitive VT with an RBBB configuration and right-axis deviation originates close to the anterior fascicle. RF catheter ablation can be performed successfully from the VT exit site or the zone of slow conduction where the Purkinje potential was recorded in the diastolic phase.     

A case report of Stevens-Johnson syndrome with Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection

We encountered an 8 year old boy who suffered from Stevens-Johnson syndrome with Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection. He had multiple erythema with vesicles in oral mucosa, and on his palms and feet, trunk and genital regions. We treated him with prednisolone (1 mg/kg per day) and antibiotics. His skin lesions improved dramatically, and a persistent fever and toxic general condition also showed dramatic improvement. Although the use of corticosteroids for Stevens-Johnson syndrome has recently been controversial, we thought that administration of corticosteroids was an effective treatment for some selective cases of Stevens-Johnson syndrome. The patient reported in this study had many beneficial effects in response to corticosteroid treatment.     

Enhancement of J–ST-Segment Elevation by the Glucose and Insulin Test in Brugada Syndrome

NOGAMI, A., et al. : Enhancement of J–ST-Segment Elevation by the Glucose and Insulin Test in Brugada Syndrome. The effects of glucose and insulin on J–ST-segment elevation were evaluated in seven men   (mean age 45 ± 10 years)   with Brugada syndrome. Six patients had been reanimated from VF and one patient had experienced syncope. The effects of intravenous (1) pilsicainide 50 mg, (2) glucose 50 g, and (3) glucose 50 g plus regular insulin 10 IU on the precordial ECG leads were examined. Pilsicainide significantly enhanced J-ST elevation in all patients and induced VF in 1 patient. A significant accentuation of the abnormal J-ST configuration was observed in all patients at a mean of   51 ± 40   minutes after glucose and insulin infusion. Changes in blood glucose and serum potassium concentration were   111 ± 158 mg/dL   and   −0.30 ± 0.48 mEq/L   , respectively. These changes were not directly related to the ECG changes. Glucose infusion without insulin caused a subtle increase in J-ST elevation. In conclusion, the administration of glucose and insulin safely unmasked or accentuation the J–ST-segment elevation in Brugada syndrome. Blood glucose and insulin concentrations may be factors modulating the circadian or day-to-day ECG variations in this syndrome. (PACE 2003; 26[Pt. II]:332–337)     

Rare case of aggressive angiomyxoma presenting as a retrovesical tumor

Aggressive angiomyxoma (AAM) is a rare mesenchymal benign tumor that preferentially involves the pelvic and perineal regions in relatively young females. We report here a rare case of AAM presenting as a retrovesical tumor in a male patient. A 59-year-old man undergoing abdominal ultrasound examination because of benign prostatic hyperplasia was found to have a retrovesical mass. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of the pelvis showed the retrovesical tumor to be 7.4 x 6.7 cm. The tumor was resected, and diagnosed histopathologically as AAM. The patient showed no recurrence 26 months after resection. Although the majority of retrovesical tumors are considered to be sarcoma or neurogenic tumor, AAM should also be recognized as a differential diagnosis.     

Effect of Intraatrial Reentry on Initiation of Atrioventricular Reentrant Tachycardia

We studied the effect of intratrial reentry (IAE) on initiation of orthodromic reentrant tachycardia (ORT) in 150 patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome using His-bundle recording and the atrial extrastimulus technique. IAR was initiated by premature atrial stimulation in 44 patients (29%), and it was followed by ORT in 16 patients (11%). In 8 patients (5%), IAR promoted the initiation of ORT, whereas in 5 patients (3%), IAR inhibited the initiation of ORT. These findings suggest that ORT is frequently induced following IAR. IAR, which was frequently observed during electrophysiological studies, seems to play an important role in the initiation of ORT.