Successful radiofrequency catheter ablation of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome in a patient with dextrocardia: A case report

BACKGROUND: Dextrocardia is a congenital heart malformation with a low incidence that occurs in only 1 in 10,000–12,000 people. Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome is a congenital condition with additional accessory pathways between the atria and the ventricle, which affects up to three in 1,000 people worldwide. Experience of radiofrequency catheter ablation in patients with WPW syndrome and dextrocardia is scarce due to its rare incidence. CASE PRESENTATION: A 39-year-old female was hospitalized due to two episodes of palpitations in the latest 2 months. The morphology of the P-QRS-T complex of lead aVR and aVL, II, and III were presented invertedly as common conditions, and shortened P-R interval and a characteristic “delta” wave were shown on the electrocardiogram (EGM). The patient with dextrocardia and situs invertus malposition was confirmed by chest-X ray, cardiac color Doppler echocardiography. The patient was diagnosed with WPW syndrome with dextrocardia and underwent radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) successfully. In this case, the key to the success of RFCA is to understand the anatomical structure of the heart and the great vessels before the operation and make a personalized operative plan. CONCLUSION: Catheter ablation for tachycardia patients with dextrocardia is efficient and safe. For patients with dextrocardia, the key to successful ablation was adjusting for projection angulation and different catheter manipulation compared with a standard case because of the mirror image of a normal heart.