Map-guided partial resection of the right atrium cured drug-refractory ectopic atrial tachycardia in 2 patients with isolated focal right atrial myocarditis.
Case Report (n=2)
Does map-guided partial resection of the right atrium cure drug-refractory ectopic atrial tachycardia in patients with isolated right atrial myocarditis?
Focal right atrial myocarditis can cause drug-resistant ectopic atrial tachycardia, which may be cured by map-guided surgical resection.
Two cases with drug refractory ectopic atrial tachycardia are described. A map-guided partial resection of the right atrium (RA) was done after preoperative endocardial catheter mapping had shown well-defined areas of fractionated RA potentials. Intraoperatively, there were no aneurysmal formations present as described by other authors. Histopathologic examination of the resected tissue showed atrial myocarditis in both patients. Postoperative right ventricular myocardial biopsies revealed no inflammatory tissue. A minor elevation of antibodies against echoviruses was found in one case. Postoperative electrophysiologic studies were negative. We conclude: focal RA myocarditis without concomitant ventricular myocarditis may represent one cause of drug-resistant ectopic atrial tachycardia. Map-guided surgical intervention may cure the disease.
Fromer et al. (Fri,) conducted a case report in Drug refractory ectopic atrial tachycardia (n=2). Map-guided partial resection of the right atrium was evaluated on Postoperative electrophysiologic studies and histopathologic examination. Map-guided partial resection of the right atrium cured drug-refractory ectopic atrial tachycardia in 2 patients with isolated focal right atrial myocarditis.