Successful epicardial catheter ablation of a septal ventricular tachycardia after myocardial infarction

A 55-year-old man underwent catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia (VT) after anterior myocardial infarction. Although electrophysiological study suggested that the VT originated from the septum, biventricular endocardial irrigated radiofrequency ablation failed to interrupt the VT. Epicardial ablation at the site located halfway between the lesions in the right and left ventricles via a pericardial approach eliminated the VT, suggesting that the VT likely originated from the top of the septum. When VTs originating from the upper septum are refractory to endocardial ablation, epicardial mapping and ablation may be considered because only that site may be accessible with an epicardial approach. (PACE 2012; 35:e116-e119)