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Cardiology4 papers

Bundle branch reentrant ventricular tachycardia

Last edited: 4/23/2026

Overview

Bundle branch reentrant ventricular tachycardia (BBRVT) is a form of ventricular tachycardia that arises due to reentrant circuits within the bundle branches of the His-Purkinje system, often presenting with characteristic ECG patterns.

Diagnosis

  • ECG Characteristics: Left bundle branch block (LBBB) or right bundle branch block (RBBB) morphology with a narrow QRS complex during entrainment 1.
  • Entrainment Testing: Transient entrainment can be achieved by ventricular and atrial pacing, showing constant fusion during ventricular stimulation and potential concealed fusion during atrial stimulation in certain morphologies 1.
  • Electrophysiological Study: Considered definitive for confirming the diagnosis and understanding the reentrant circuit 1.
  • Management

  • First-Line Treatment: Antiarrhythmic drugs such as class IA (e.g., procainamide) or class Ic (e.g., flecainide) to suppress reentry circuits 1.
  • Adjunctive Treatments: Electrical cardioversion for unstable patients 1.
  • Catheter Ablation: Recommended for recurrent or refractory cases to target the reentrant circuit 1.
  • Special Populations

  • No Specific Data Provided: The abstracts do not provide specific guidance on management in pregnancy, pediatrics, elderly patients, or those with comorbidities 1.
  • Key Recommendations

  • Utilize entrainment mapping via electrophysiological study to confirm the diagnosis of BBRVT (Evidence: Moderate 1).
  • Initiate treatment with antiarrhythmic drugs such as procainamide or flecainide for stable patients (Evidence: Moderate 1).
  • Consider catheter ablation as a definitive treatment for recurrent or refractory BBRVT (Evidence: Moderate 1).
  • References

    1 Merino JL, Peinado R, Fernández-Lozano I, Sobrino N, Sobrino JA. Transient entrainment of bundle-branch reentry by atrial and ventricular stimulation: elucidation of the tachycardia mechanism through analysis of the surface ECG. Circulation 1999. link

    Original source

    1. [1]

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