Why the study?
Does radiofrequency ablation of the AV node prevent inappropriate ICD shocks in a patient with coexisting atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia?
Does radiofrequency ablation of the AV node prevent inappropriate ICD shocks in a patient with coexisting atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia?
AV node ablation can effectively prevent inappropriate ICD shocks in patients with coexisting AF and VT refractory to pharmacological therapy.
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AV node ablation may eliminate inappropriate ICD shocks in AF; hypothesis-generating case report requiring prospective validation.
A case of coexisting atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia in a patient with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator is described. Despite careful reprogramming, the device was not always able to distinguish between the two arrhythmias and continued to deliver inappropriate antitachycardia therapy including DC shocks. Attempts to pharmacologically control the atrial fibrillation were unsuccessful so radiofrequency ablation of the atrioventricular node was performed. Following successful ablation, there have been no further false detections no episodes of further ventricular tachycardia.
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Pitney et al. (1992) studied this question.
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