Emergency non-surgical epicardial catheter ablation of incessant ventricular tachycardia in a man with dilated cardiomyopathy

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) and sudden cardiac death are feared complications of severe heart failure, whatever the aetiology. VT has the propensity to become incessant, and this carries an adverse prognosis. In some cases incessant VT is refractory to a combination of electrical cardioversion and pharmacological therapy such that emergency catheter ablation is required. Even when the conventional endocardial approach fails, ablation can be performed safely and effectively via the epicardial route.