[Surgical aspects of automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator (AICD) in patients with life-threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmias].

Implantations of automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator were performed in five patients with life-threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Preoperative diagnoses of arrhythmias were sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) in two cases, ventricular fibrillation (VF) in two cases and sustained VT+VF in one case. Four of five cases had basic diseases respectively (broad anterior myocardial infarction, dilated cardiomyopathy, arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy), and the other case was idiopathic. Preoperative CTR were 43-65% (mean 57.4%) and left ventricular ejection fraction were 26-76% (mean 51.2%). Implantation of AICD was indicated for patients who survived circulatory arrest or life-threatening VT. Median sternotomy (3) or left antero-lateral thoracotomy (2) were performed for implantation of large-small patch electrodes for defibrillation. AICD generators were implanted in the pocket under abdominal rectal muscle in all cases. Postoperatively myocardial insufficiency, pericarditis, pleuritis occurred in three cases respectively. In the follow-up periods (2-25 months, mean 13 months), AICD worked effectively in two patients with spontaneous VT (6 months, 1 year after operation) and no cardiac death was experienced. We concluded that AICD system is effective for the life-threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmias, although the further estimation in longer follow-up periods are warranted.