Reentry is a common mechanism of ventricular tachycardia (VT) that originates from the Purkinje system, and verapamil-sensitive idiopathic left ventricular tachycardia (ILVT) is considered the most common form of Purkinjerelated idiopathic VT.1 Although focal non-reentrant fascicular tachycardia (NRFT) was reported in patients with structural heart diseases involving the Purkinje system, such as those associated with myocardial infarction, 2 little is known about the prevalence, electrophysiological characteristics, or preferential sites of the tachycardia origin of NRFT in patients without structural heart diseases. The purpose of this study was to clarify the aforementioned points with the results of long-term follow-up after radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA).
Methods
Study SampleAmong 530 patients who were referred for RFCA of idiopathic VT, we identified 15 patients (2.8%) with distinct electrocardiographic and electrophysiological characteristics of focal NRFT. The study only included cases of VT, and those with isolated premature ventricular complex (PVC) were excluded. Of note, 17 patients had isolated PVCs of NRF type (14 left posterior fascicle [LPF] origin, 2 left anterior fascicle origin, and 1 right ventricle [RV]-Purkinje origin). For each patient, after a detailed medical history and examination were conducted, structural heart diseases were ruled out by using a standard investigation protocol, which included a 12-lead surface ECG, chest radiography, 2-dimensional (2D) echocardiography, 24-hour Holter recordings, cardiac computed tomography (when appropriate), coronary angiography, and right or left ventriculography. This study was approved by the local ethics committee and all patients provided written informed consent.
Electrophysiology Study and the Stimulation ProtocolThe electrophysiology study was performed after obtaining written informed consent from patients, and antiarrhythmic drugs were withdrawn for ≥5 half-lives. Standard multielectrode catheters were placed in the high right atrium, His-bundle region, and RV apex. Programmed atrial and ventricular stimulation was performed © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc. Original Article
Circ Arrhythm ElectrophysiolBackground-The most common form of idiopathic Purkinje-related ventricular tachycardia (VT) is the reentrant type. We describe the clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of focal non-reentrant fascicular tachycardia. Methods and Results-Among 530 idiopathic VT patients who were referred for ablation, we identified 15 (2.8%) with non-reentrant fascicular tachycardia (11 men, 45±21 years). Sinus rhythm ECG showed normal conduction intervals with a His-ventricular interval of 41±4 ms. All patients had monomorphic VT (cycle length: 337±88 ms) with a relatively narrow QRS (123±12 ms), and they did not respond to verapamil during the initial presentation. VT exhibited right bundle-branch block/superior axis configuration in 11 patients (73%) and inferior axis in 3 (20%). In 1 patient (7%), VT exhibited left bundle-branch...