Catheter Ablation in Patients with Electrical Storm in Early Post Infarction Period (6 Weeks): A Single Centre Experience

Background

Electrical storm (ES) due to drug refractory ventricular tachycardia (VT) occurring within first few weeks of acute myocardial infarction (MI) has poor prognosis. Catheter ablation has been proposed for treating VT occurring late after MI, but there is limited data on catheter ablation in VT within first few weeks of MI.

Methods and Results

Five patients (4 males, mean age 54.2±12.11 years) between June 2008 to July 2012, referred for VT presenting as ES refractory to antiarrhythmic drugs in the early post infarction period (six weeks following MI) despite revascularization. Three patients had anterior wall MI and two inferior wall MI with left ventricular ejection fraction ranging from 26 to 35%.All underwent catheter ablation within 48 hours of being in VT except one who presented late. Clinical VT was induced in all five patients. Total number of VTs induced were 11 (2.2±1.09 per patient). Two patients needed epicardial ablation via pericardial puncture. Though acute success was 100%, one patient had recurrence of clinical VT the next day of procedure.One patient succumbed to sepsis with multiple organ failure. The remaining four patients are doing well without further clinical recurrence of VT over a period of 3.7 years of follow-up.

Conclusion

Catheter ablation can be a useful adjunctive therapy for patients with recurrent VT in the early post infarction period. This procedure appears to be safe with acceptable success rate.