Dr.S.Venkatesan MD

Brugada syndrome is  probably the most fascinating discovery  in  Inherited cardiac  Ion channel dysfunction that linked the basic sciences to bedside . Its due to genetic defect in SCN gene that results in sodium channel blockade of phase  of action potential  to cause troublesome ventricular tachycardia (Phase 2 reentry ) . Now we realise, there are some phenotypic expressions to this gene defect . RV epicardial anatomical substrates are found to responsible for these Arrhythmias.

So ,does Brugada turn out to be a structural heart disease (At least histological ) ? Where is the evidence coming from ?

Now, we realise  RF ablation of epicardial aspect  of  RVOT / Adjacent anterior RV wall can eliminate Brugada pattern confirming anatomical defect  at cellular level. Our changing perception of Brugada from pure functional to anatomical cause is exciting and  intriguing as well !  ICDs were  the specific therapy so far.This discovery make it RF ablation an option.

The recent data from Brugada himself  was presented in World congress of electrophysiology / European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) EUROPACE-CARDIOSTIM 2016 confirming the therapeutic benefit of targeting  the epicardial structural phenotypic substrares (Ref 3 )

Final message

We have been taught  Brugada syndrome is  a primary electrical disease .It was  never considered as structural heart disease. Knowledge evolves slowly, so we shouldn’t conclude prematurely .Shall we conclude , Brugada syndrome is truly a  structural heart disease at least in some ?*. This  makes RF ablation  a new  cure for Brugada ,  making it a useful alternate modality to ICD , Of course there can be an overlap between ARVD and Brugada  syndrome. Mind you RF ablation scores over ICD on any  given day as its potential  cure , while ICD is  just a back up device and it simply wait & watch for the VT to occur.We also know  ICDs are still learning human EP data, and are  not intelligent enough to differentiate true VT from false ones with acceptable error** margin.

* Let the experts decide

**Acceptable ? What  do you mean by that ?

Reference

Questions queued

2.Is Amiodarone Indicated in Brugada syndrome ?

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