Sudden asystole during radiofrequency ablation: a case report and literature review

BMC Research Notes

Su-Hua Yan¹  Ming-you Chen¹  Xiao-jun Wang¹  Rui Xu¹  Mei Xue¹  He-Sheng Hu¹ 

[1] Department of Cardiology, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, 250014 Jinan, PR China

关键词: Ganglionated plexus;    Vagal response;    Asystole;    Radiofrequency ablation;   

Others  :  1132528
DOI  :  10.1186/1756-0500-7-351

 received in 2014-05-25, accepted in 2014-06-03,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

Radiofrequency (RF) ablation is a widely accepted and ideal therapeutic tool to cure some tachycardias. The occurrence of complications varies depending on the procedure being performed. Sudden unexpected prolonged asystole is rare for most ablation procedures and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

Case presentation

A case of sudden prolonged asystole induced by RF ablation of a concealed left free wall accessory in a 59-year-old woman with recurrent tachycardia. RF application provoked progressive slowing of the sinus rhythm and then a 13.2-second period of asystole ensued. Asystole was self-healing and no complications were seen in the following follow-up.

Conclusions

RF ablation may develop prolonged asystole due to vagus response caused by stimulation of unmyelinated vagal C-fibers or ganglionated plexus (GP). Reflexible asystole is reproducible and resolves independently, without affecting the procedure of RF ablation.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Hu et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

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