Alternative approach for management of an electrical storm in Brugada syndrome:Importance of primary ablation within a narrow time window

Abstract

Placement of an implantable cardioverter–defibrillator (ICD) is the only powerful treatment modality for Brugada syndrome in patients presenting with ventricular fibrillation (VF). For those whose first presentation is an electrical storm, pharmacologic therapy is typically used to control VF followed by ICD implantation. We report an alternative approach whereby, before ICD implantation, emergency catheter ablation of the VF-triggering premature ventricular contraction (PVC) resulted in long-term VF-free survival. The results suggest that, because VF triggers appear in a narrow time window, ablation of the culprit PVCs that initiate VF before the index PVCs subside is a reasonable alternative approach.

Keywords

• Ventricular fibrillation
• Brugada syndrome
• Trigger ablation
• Electrical storm