Right ventricular dominant myocarditis requiring cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillator: a case report

ESC Heart Fail. 2021 Dec;8(6):5572-5576. doi: 10.1002/ehf2.13658. Epub 2021 Oct 16.

Abstract

Fulminant myocarditis is an inflammatory disease of the cardiac muscle that severely deteriorates cardiac function and often causes haemodynamic collapse in a manner similar to acute coronary syndrome. In rare cases, the myocardium of the right ventricle is dominantly damaged. In cases of lymphocytic myocarditis, a common type of fulminant myocarditis, cardiac function is often recovered after peak myocardial inflammation subsides; however, some cases show irreversible myocardial damage. Herein, we report the case of a 43-year-old woman with irreversible, right-side dominant ventricular myocardial damage; she presented with various cardiopulmonary conditions including complete atrioventricular block, ventricular tachycardia, right heart failure, right ventricular thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism. The patient was successfully treated with medications and a cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillator device.

Keywords: CRT; Complete atrioventricular block; Endomyocardial biopsy; Heart failure; MRI; Mechanical circulatory support; Myocarditis; Right ventricle.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy*
  • Defibrillators
  • Female
  • Heart Ventricles / diagnostic imaging
  • Humans
  • Myocarditis* / complications
  • Myocarditis* / diagnosis
  • Myocarditis* / therapy
  • Myocardium