Layered activation of epicardial scar in arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia: possible substrate for confined epicardial circuits

Abstract

Background: Ventricular tachycardia ablation in arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD) is more successful when including epicardial ablation. Scarring may cause independent, layered epicardial activation and promote epicardially confined ventricular tachycardia circuits. We aimed to characterize transmural right ventricular activation in ARVD patients and to compare this with reference patients without structural heart disease.

Methods and results: Eighteen ARVD patients underwent detailed endocardial and epicardial sinus rhythm electroanatomic mapping. Bipolar activation was annotated at the sharpest intrinsic deflection including late potentials and compared with 6 patients with normal hearts. Total scar area was larger on the epicardium (97±78 cm(2)) than the endocardium (57±44 cm(2); P=0.04), with significantly more isolated potentials. Total epicardial activation time was longer than endocardial (172±54 versus 99±27 ms; P<0.01), and both were longer than in reference patients. Earliest endocardial site was the right ventricular anteroseptum in 17 of 18 ARVD patients versus 5 of 6 controls (P=0.446), and latest endocardial site was in the outflow tract in 13 of 18 ARVD patients versus 4 of 6 controls and tricuspid annulus in 5 of 18 ARVD patients versus 2 of 6 controls (P=1.00). In reference patients, epicardial activation directly opposite endocardial sites occurred in 5.2±1.9 ms, suggesting direct transmural activation. In contrast, ARVD patients had major activation delay to the epicardium with laminar central scar activation from the scar border, not by direct transmural spread from the endocardium.

Conclusions: Transmural right ventricular activation is modified by ARVD scarring with a delayed epicardial activation sequence suggestive of independent rather than direct transmural activation. This may predispose ventricular tachycardia circuits contained entirely within the epicardium in ARVD and explains observations on the need for direct epicardial ablation to eliminate ventricular tachycardia.