[Incessant ectopic atrial tachycardia in pregnancy: radiofrequency catheter ablation in immediate postpartum with disappearance of tachycardia-related dilated cardiomyopathy].

A 29-year-old woman presented with incessant atrial tachycardia and tachycardia-related cardiomyopathy during the last weeks of pregnancy. At 40 weeks of gestation a healthy infant was delivered by Cesarean section. Various medical treatments and two attempts of electrical cardioversion were ineffective in restoring sinus rhythm. Electrophysiologic study with endocardial activation mapping confirmed the diagnosis and thereafter radiofrequency transcatheter ablation of the ectopic focus was successfully carried out and sinus rhythm was restored. Serial 24-h Holter monitoring at 1, 3, and 6 months showed the persistence of sinus rhythm. Echocardiographic examinations demonstrated a very rapid recovery of both left ventricular diameters and ejection fraction to normal limits within two weeks after ablation. In this case-report the potential role of pregnancy and recent advances in the understanding and treatment of ectopic atrial tachycardia are summarized. Although endocardial mapping is difficult, radiofrequency catheter ablation appears to be the elective technique for the treatment of this particular arrhythmia, often refractory to antiarrhythmic drugs. Moreover, this case highlights that tachycardia-related cardiomyopathy should be seriously considered in any patient with apparently end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy and persistent tachycardia.