Abstract

Electrophysiological studies showed ventricular tachycardia in five patients (four male, one female) with isolated right ventricular dilatation. All had been asymptomatic before the onset of palpitation which had developed in adolescence or early adult life. Tachycardia had been associated with syncope in four patients, and three had been resuscitated from ventricular fibrillation before investigation. The electrocardiogram during ventricular tachycardia showed a left bundle branch block pattern, and endocardial mapping at electrophysiological study confirmed the right ventricular origin. The presenting tachycardia could be induced in all patients by programmed stimulation, and in three patients ventricular tachycardia of differing configuration could be induced, but the right ventricular origin and left bundle branch block pattern were maintained. In two patients ventricular tachycardia degenerated into ventricular fibrillation. Cineangiography, cross sectional echocardiography, and multigated radionuclide angiography confirmed the dilated abnormal right ventricle while indicating that left ventricular function was normal. On resting electrocardiograms T wave inversion over the right precordial leads was the sole abnormality. There were no signs of right heart failure and exercise tolerance was normal. Four patients have received maintenance treatment with antiarrhythmic drugs, and one had undergone operative mapping and ablative surgery. Thus ventricular tachycardia complicating right ventricular dilatation may be associated with serious symptoms and ventricular electrical instability; and in adults it may be suspected on clinical grounds by inverted T waves in the right precordial leads.