The Treatment of Recurrent Ventricular Tachycardia with Bilateral Cervico-Thoracic Sympathetic-Ganglionectomy

• DOI: 10.1161/01.cir.50.2.382
• Publication Date: 2012-06-11T23:56:43Z
• Authors: RICHARD LLOYD; ROBERT OKADA; JAMES STAGG; ROBERT ANDERSON; BRACK HATTLER; FRANK MARCUS
• Keywords: Male; Heart Ventricles; Bundle-Branch Block; Middle Aged; 3. Good health; Electrocardiography; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Recurrence; Tachycardia; Humans; Female; Sympathectomy; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; Ganglia, Autonomic

Two patients had bilateral cervico-thoracic sympatho-ganglionectomy for treatment of disabling symptoms due to refractory ventricular tachycardia. In both patients treatment with antiarrhythmic drugs singly, in combination, or together with pacemaker overdrive had been ineffective in controlling this arrhythmia. Both patients had normal coronary arteriograms. Bilateral thoracic sympathectomy appears to facilitate medical management of ventricular tachycardia in selected patients who are refractory to the usual medical treatment.