Electroanatomic mapping and ablation of ventricular tachycardia associated with systemic sclerosis

Two cases of systemic sclerosis with sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) are presented. The first patient received hydroxychloroquine for skeletal muscle disease coexisting with cardiac involvement. In both cases, 3D-electroanatomic mapping showed low-voltage areas in the right ventricle. In the first patient the tachycardia was mapped and a protected isthmus suggesting reentry was delineated and ablated. Other substrate locations were indirectly identified by pacemapping on the right and left ventricular endocardium in the second patient. VT did not reoccur during follow-up. Radiofrequency catheter ablation is safe and effective and electroanatomic mapping may be helpful in patients with systemic sclerosis. (C) 2004 The European Society of Cardiology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.