Isolated ventricular non-compaction presenting with ventricular tachycardia

KL Tsui, KK Chan, TC Leung, KH Lam, SK Li
Department of Medicine, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, 3 Lok Man Road, Chai Wan, Hong Kong

Isolated ventricular non-compaction is a rare congenital cardiomyopathy, manifested morphologically as prominent myocardial trabeculations and deep inter-trabecular recesses that communicate with the ventricular cavity. Heart failure is the most common presenting condition. Other manifestations include arrhythmia and cardioembolic events. This report is illustrative of isolated ventricular non-compaction in a 78-year-old woman. The diagnosis was made when she presented with ventricular tachycardia many years after a stroke. She subsequently underwent implantation of a cardioverter-defibrillator. This report documents an uncommon presentation of this disease entity in the oldest patient at presentation as yet reported in the literature.

Hong Kong Med J 2003;9:137-40

Key words: Cardiomyopathy; Echocardiography; Heart defects, congenital; Tachyarrhythmias