Successful catheter ablation against ventricular tachycardia associated with myotonic dystrophy

Intern Med. 2000 Jan;39(1):39-44. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.39.39.

Abstract

Myotonic dystrophy (MD) is characterized by myotonia and muscular dystrophy and cardiac involvement with tachy-arrhythmia is rarely encountered. We report a case of MD complicated with severe left ventricular hypofunction and incessant ventricular tachycardia (VT) with varying heart rates. The morphology of VT suggested that it originated from the right ventricular outflow tract, and electrophysiological study disclosed that the mechanism of VT was abnormal automaticity. Catheter ablation was performed to treat this VT. The patient had a cardiomyopathy with normal coronary arteries. The specimen of RV biopsy showed moderate hypertrophy, mild fat infiltration and slight fibrosis. These findings are histologically consistent with myotonic dystrophy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Bradycardia / etiology
  • Catheter Ablation*
  • Electrocardiography
  • Female
  • Heart Ventricles / pathology
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Myotonic Dystrophy / complications*
  • Tachycardia, Ventricular / diagnosis
  • Tachycardia, Ventricular / etiology
  • Tachycardia, Ventricular / surgery*