Right ventricular outflow tract tachycardias in patients without apparent structural heart disease

Abstract

We have investigated 13 patients with monomorphic ventricular tachycardia which originated from the right ventricular outflow tract. No patient had evidence of organic heart disease. There were 3 males and 10 females, aged 13–53 years. All had non-invasive investigations including an exercise electrocardiogram, chest radiography, echocardiograms and gated blood pool scintigraphy. Ten patients underwent cardiac catheterisation. Five patients had a prolonged QTc on their resting electrocardiogram. The remaining investigations showed no evidence of organic heart disease. Ten patients had ventricular arrhythmias which were completely suppressed during maximal excercise but which recurred in the immediate post-exercise period. A further 2 patients with no arrhythmias before exercise had ventricular tachycardia in the post-exercise period. Electrophysiology studies were performed in 5 patients with syncopal episodes, suggesting an automatic focus in 4. Four patients required specific antiarrhythmic surgery for symptoms refractory to medical therapy. Pace-mapping at operation confirmed the origin to be within the right ventricular outflow tract in all. Thus, we have identified a group of patients who have ventricular tachycardia originating from the right ventricular outflow tract in whom there is no apparent structural heart disease. Their arrhythmias are influenced by exercise and are probably due to an automatic focus. Four patients required surgery for ventricular tachycardias and recurrent syncopal episodes refractory to medical therapy.