A case report of a patient with wide complex tachycardia due to Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome mimicking ventricular tachycardia

Background Wide complex tachycardia (WCT) associated with syncope as manifestation of an underlying, life-threatening arrhythmia might potentially be the harbinger of sudden cardiac death. Identifying the aetiology of a WCT is imperative to provide appropriate treatment and prevent recurrence. Case summary We report the case of a 22-year-old male who had been experiencing haemodynamically significant WCT leading to syncope at the age of 13 years. As the patient and the family rejected an electrophysiological (EP) study, he had received an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) for secondary prevention. After 7 years of experiencing multiple shocks, the patient finally gave consent to an EP study, which identified a left-sided accessory atrioventricular pathway that was successfully ablated during the same procedure. Discussion The differential diagnosis of WCT might be challenging and includes both ventricular and supraventricular tachycardias. In young patients without structural heart disease experiencing WCT, an EP study should be offered before ICD implantation to make a final diagnosis with the potential to provide definitive treatment.

Contemporary procedure characteristics and outcomes of accessory atrioventricular pathway ablations in an integrated community-based health care system using a tiered approach

Background Since the early descriptions of large series of accessory atrioventricular pathway ablations in adults and adolescents over 20 years ago, there have been limited published reports based on more recent experiences of large referral centers. We aimed to characterize accessory pathway distribution and features in a large community-based population that influence ablation outcomes using a tiered approach to ablation. Methods Retrospective analysis of 289 patients (age 14–81) who underwent accessory ablation from 2015–2019 was performed. Pathways were categorized into anteroseptal, left freewall, posteroseptal, and right freewall locations. We analyzed patient and pathway features to identify factors associated with prolonged procedure time parameters. Results Initial ablation success rate was 94.7% with long-term success rate of 93.4% and median follow-up of 931 days. Accessory pathways were in left freewall (61.6%), posteroseptal (24.6%), right freewall (9.6%), and anteroseptal (4.3%) locations. Procedure outcome was dependent on pathway location. Acute success was highest for left freewall pathways (97.1%) with lowest case times (144 ± 68 min) and fluoroscopy times (15 ± 19 min). Longest procedure time parameters were seen with anteroseptal, left anterolateral, epicardial-coronary sinus, and right anterolateral pathway ablations. Conclusions In this community-based adult and adolescent population, majority of the accessory pathways are in the left freewall and posteroseptal region and tend to be more easily ablated. A tiered approach with initial use of standard ablation equipment before the deployment of more advance tools, such as irrigated tips and 3D mapping, is cost effective without sacrificing overall efficacy.

Contemporary procedure characteristics and outcomes of accessory atrioventricular pathway ablations in an integrated community-based health care system

Purpose Descriptions of large series of accessory atrioventricular pathway (AP) ablations in adults and adolescents have been limited to referral centers and published over 20 years ago. We aimed to characterize contemporary accessory AP distribution and features in a large community-based population that influence ablation outcomes. Methods Retrospective analysis of 289 patients (age 14–81) who underwent AP ablation from 2015–2019 was performed. Pathways were categorized into anteroseptal (AS), left freewall (LFW), posteroseptal (PS), and right freewall (RFW) locations. We analyzed patient and pathway features to identify factors associated with prolonged procedure time parameters. Results Initial ablation success rate was 94.7% with long-term success rate of 93.4% and median follow-up of 931 days. APs were in LFW (61.6%), PS (24.6%), RFW (9.6%), and AS (4.3%) locations. Procedure outcome was dependent on pathway location. Acute success was highest for LFW pathways (97.1%) with lowest case times (144 ± 68 minutes) and fluoroscopy times (15 ± 19 minutes). Longest procedure time parameters were seen with AS, left anterolateral, epicardial-coronary sinus, and right anterolateral pathway ablations. A novel ECG algorithm was developed to predicts AP locations and further guide procedure planning. Conclusion In this community-based population, majority of APs are located in the left freewall and posteroseptal region, with only retrograde conduction, and can be ablated using traditional approaches with short time parameters and high success. Using a novel ECG algorithm for pathway localization, we can predict cases with longer procedure times, higher fluoroscopy exposure, and lower acute and long-term success for manifest pathways.

A case of Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome in which two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography was useful for identifying the location of the accessory atrioventricular pathway

Background In Wolff–Parkinson–White (WPW) syndrome, accessory atrioventricular pathways (AP) result in abnormal pre-excitation around the atrioventricular annuli and produce a dyssynchronous contraction of cardiac chambers. Identification of the AP affects the outcome of catheter ablation. Case summary We report a case of WPW syndrome and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in a 65-year-old man. Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome Type B was suspected from lead V1, but when two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) was performed, a decrease in regional strain was observed in the anterior basal wall of the left ventricle. We identified the earliest site of atrioventricular conduction, and improvement in the regional strain at the site of ablation was observed after successful AP ablation. Discussion Various echocardiographic techniques have been investigated as non-invasive alternatives for AP localization. Longitudinal 2D-STE accurately identified contractile abnormalities associated with the AP, allowing us to non-invasively estimate the localization of the AP in WPW syndrome.

Accessory pathways-related tachycardias: Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome and atrioventricular reentrant tachycardias

Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome is an uncommon clinical condition defined as manifest pre-excitation on electrocardiogram and symptoms of arrhythmias related to the abnormal conduction between the atria and ventricle. Years of invasive electrophysiological, along with histological and epidemiological studies has grown our understanding of the accessory atrioventricular pathway responsible for Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome. The overall prognosis for those with accessory pathways is excellent; however, a minority will experience symptomatic arrhythmias and rarely, sudden cardiac death. Fortunately, for those who are at high risk for sudden death, or for those who are highly symptomatic, catheter ablation has developed to become a curative therapy. This chapter details the anatomy, electrical properties, and assorted arrhythmias related to atrioventricular accessory pathways.

Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome: lessons learnt and lessons remaining

The Wolff–Parkinson–White pattern refers to the electrocardiographic appearance in sinus rhythm, wherein an accessory atrioventricular pathway abbreviates the P-R interval and causes a slurring of the QRS upslope – the “delta wave”. It may be asymptomatic or it may be associated with orthodromic reciprocating tachycardia; however, rarely, even in children, it is associated with sudden death due to ventricular fibrillation resulting from a rapid response by the accessory pathway to atrial fibrillation, which itself seems to result from orthodromic reciprocating tachycardia. Historically, patients at risk for sudden death were characterised by the presence of symptoms and a shortest pre- excited R-R interval during induced atrial fibrillation <250 ms. Owing to the relatively high prevalence of asymptomatic Wolff–Parkinson–White pattern and availability of catheter ablation, there has been a need to identify risk among asymptomatic patients. Recent guidelines recommend invasive evaluation for such patients where pre-excitation clearly does not disappear during exercise testing. This strategy has a high negative predictive value only. The accuracy of this approach is under continued investigation, especially in light of other considerations: Patients having intermittent pre-excitation, once thought to be at minimal risk may not be, and the role of isoproterenol in risk assessment.