Long-term clinical outcomes of cardiac sympathetic denervation in patients with refractory ventricular arrhythmias

Background: Cardiac sympathetic denervation (CSD) is a useful therapeutic option in patients with structural heart disease (SHD) and ventricular tachycardia (VT) who are otherwise refractory to standard antiarrhythmic drug (AAD) therapy or catheter ablation (CA). In this study, we sought to retrospectively analyze the long-term outcomes of CSD in patients with refractory VT and/or VT storm with a majority of the patients being taken up for CSD ahead of CA.

Methods: We included consecutive patients with SHD who underwent CBD from 2010 to 2019 owing to refractory VT. A complete response to CSD was defined as a greater than 75% reduction in the frequency of ICD shocks for VT.

Results: A total of 65 patients (50 male, 15 female) were included. The underlying VT substrate was ischemic heart disease (IHD) in 30 (46.2%) patients while the remaining 35 (53.8%) patients had other nonischemic causes. The mean duration of follow-up was 27 ± 24 months. A complete response to CSD was achieved in 47 (72.3%) patients. There was a significant decline in the number of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) or external defibrillator shocks post-CSD (24 ± 37 vs. 2 ± 4, p < .01). Freedom from a combined endpoint of ICD shock or death at 2 years was 51.5%. An advanced New York Heart Association class (III and IV) was the only parameter found to be associated with this combined endpoint.

Conclusion: The current retrospective analysis re-emphasizes the role of surgical CSD and explores its role ahead of CA in the treatment of patients with refractory VT or VT storm.