Idiopathic verapamil-sensitive left ventricular tachycardia complicated by right ventricular outflow tract ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation.

Idiopathic ventricular tachycardias (VTs) are generally divided into those arising from the right ventricle and those arising from the left ventricle. There has been few reports of two morphologically distinct VT occurring in patients with no apparent structural heart disease. We report a patient with verapamil-sensitive left VT with a right bundle branch block pattern that spontaneously changed to VT with a left bundle branch block pattern. Ventricular fibrillation was induced by the application of programmed stimulation. Although it is unclear if our patient with pleomorphic VT has ventricular vulnerability, it is necessary to investigate further and follow him carefully.     

Isolated left ventricular noncompaction mimicking ventricular mass

Isolated left ventricular noncompaction is an inherited cardiomyopathy characterized by multiple prominent trabeculations with deep intertrabecular recesses. The diagnosis is often missed because echocardiography poses inherent problems of poor echo window in assessment of the LV apex, which is most commonly involved in noncompaction. We report a case in which conventional 2D echocardiography failed to demonstrate multiple prominent trabeculations. Contrast echocardiography confirmed the presence of multiple trabeculations with deep intertrabecular recesses. This report emphasizes the importance of contrast echocardiography in the diagnosis of ventricular noncompaction.     

Congenital ventricular diverticulum associated with ventricular tachycardia

Congenital ventricular diverticula are rare. Clinically, they may be asymptomatic or cause systemic embolization, heart failure, valvular regurgitation, ventricular rupture, ventricular arrhythmia, or sudden death. We report the case of a 56-year-old woman with sustained ventricular tachycardia, who, during investigation, was diagnosed with a diverticulum in the inferobasal portion of the left ventricle. The clinical characteristics and treatment of this rare disease are discussed.     

Direct mechanical ventricular assistance during ventricular fibrillation

A technique of direct mechanical ventricular assistance (DMVA) has been available since 1966. Ventricular assistance is provided by a glass cup lined with a Silastic diaphragm. It is held on the cardiac ventricles by suction. Alternating positive and negative pressure in the space between the cup and the diaphragm provides a pumping mechanism for blood flow. DMVA was compared to closed chest massage (CCM) and open chest massage (OCM) during ventricular fibrillation in six dogs. Each technique was applied for 10 minutes. Three dogs had CCM followed by OCM and then DMVA. Three dogs had only OCM and DMVA. Blood pressure and cardiac output were measured. All variables were calculated as a percentage of pre-ventricular-fibrillation values. Mean blood pressure was 19.7% with CCM, 39.8% with OCM, and 55.1% with DMVA. Systolic blood pressure was 25.8% with CCM, 51.9% with OCM, and 64.0% with DMVA. Diastolic blood pressure was 17.3% with CCM, 37.3% with OCM, and 48.9% with DMVA. Cardiac output was 13.8% with CCM, 37.1% with OCM, and 58.0% with DMVA. For each variable, OCM produced statistically higher values than did CCM. DMVA produced statistically higher values than did OCM for all variables. These preliminary results suggest that DMVA may be superior to currently available methods of cardiac massage during ventricular fibrillation.     

Right ventricular aneurysm complicating right ventricular infarction

Right ventricular (RV) involvement commonly occurs in patients with acute inferior myocardial infarction and is associated with high mortality and morbidity. RV dysfunction and dilatation commonly recover in survivors; chronic RV dyskinesia and failure are rare complications. This case report presents a patient in whom an isolated RV aneurysm complicates a RV involvement of acute inferior-posterior myocardial infarction.     

Left ventricular assist device-induced reverse ventricular remodeling

Left ventricular assist devices provide chronic pressure and volume unloading of the dilated left ventricle in patients with end-stage heart failure. This is associated with reverse structural remodeling (normalization of the passive pressure-volume relationship), reverse molecular remodeling (increased expression of several genes involved in calcium metabolism that are down-regulated in heart failure), improved baseline contractility, and improved contractile response to increased heart rate and to beta-agonist stimulation. These findings indicate the profound degree of recovery of myocardial properties in hearts previously considered to have invincible end-stage heart failure.     

致心律失常性右心室心肌病患者心室晚电位与室性心动过速关系

目的探讨致心律失常性右心室心肌病(arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy,ARVD/C)合并室性心动过速与心室晚电位的关系。方法ARVD/C38例,男28例,女10例,年龄(35±15)岁。心电图检查进行信号叠加,记录心室晚电位量化参数:总QRS时限(total QRS duration,QRST)、QRS终末部位电压低于40μV时限(low potential terminal signals,LPS40)、QRS最后40ms电压方根均数(root mean square of the last 40 ms,RMS40);动态心电图检查记录室性心动过速和室性期前收缩。使用χ2及Mann-Whitney秩和检验统计。结果①心室晚电位阳性25例,其中室性心动过速18例;心室晚电位阴性13例,室性心动过速3例(P=0.004);②室性心动过速阳性21例,阴性17例,QRST:室性心动过速阳性组109～233(中位数147)ms,阴性组85～158(中位数104)ms(P=0.000);LPS40:阳性组15～158(中位数53)ms和阴性...