Catheter Ablation for Ventricular Arrhythmias

Catheter ablation has emerged as an important and effective treatment option for many recurrent ventricular arrhythmias. The approach to ablation and the risks and outcomes are largely determined by the nature of the severity and type of underlying heart disease. In patients with structural heart disease, catheter ablation can effectively reduce ventricular tachycardia (VT) episodes and implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) shocks. For VT and symptomatic premature ventricular beats that occur in the absence of structural heart disease, catheter ablation is often effective as the sole therapy. Advances in catheter technology, imaging and mapping techniques have improved success rates for ablation. This review discusses current approaches to mapping and ablation for ventricular arrhythmias.