Management of refractory ventricular tachycardia in patients with non-myxomas primary cardiac tumors / 中华心血管病杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To summarize the clinical characteristics and treatment experience of patients with non-myxomas primary cardiac tumors accompanied with refractory ventricular tachycardia (VT).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Clinical and imaging data as well as therapy efficacy and outcome were analyzed in 10 patients with non-myxomas primary cardiac tumors accompanied with refractory VT.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There were 5 male and 5 female patients in this cohort [mean age (37.6±18.2) years]. Palpitation was presented in all 10 patients, 7 patients experienced syncope, and 2 patients suffered from amaurosis. The diagnosis was made by combined use of transthoracic echocardiograms, MRI, and CT scan. The time from symptom to diagnosis was (33.2±36.7) months. Symptom-related VT was documented by ECG or Holter monitoring. MRI suggested lipoma in 7 patients, lymphoma in 1 patient and fibroma in another patient. Seven tumors were located in the left ventricle, 1 in right atria, 1 at peri-aortic root and 1 near right ventricular outflow tract. Nine out of 10 patients received anti-arrhythmic drug therapy. The ventricular tachyarrhythmia disappeared after surgical tumor resection in 4 patients. All other patients who were treated with antiarrhythmic drugs, radiofrequency ablation or subtotal excision showed only suboptimal efficacy during (39.4±25.1) months follow-up.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Surgical tumor removal is the best treatment strategy for the treatment of refractory ventricular tachycardia in patients with primary cardiac benign tumors.</p>