Orthodromic and intra-nodal tachycardia. Diagnostic mistakes and ablation

Authors

  • Margarita Dorantes Sánchez Instituto de Cardiología y Cirugía Cardiovascular. Calle 17 # 702, esq. A, EL Vedado, Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba.
  • Jesús Castro Hevia
  • Igor Rodríguez Peredo
  • Roberto Zayas Molina
  • Francisco Dorticós

Keywords:

TACHYCARDIA/diagnosis, TACHYCARDIA, SINOATRIAL NODAL REENTRY/diagnosis, ATRIOVENTRICULAR NODAL REENTRY/diagnosis, ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHY, ELECTRIC STIMULATION.

Abstract

It is important to make a differential diagnosis between orth orthodromic and intra-nodal tachycardias based on their frequency, orientation of electro-physiological study and anti-arrhythmia or ablation therapy to be used. Electrophysiological knowledge reflected on EG offers some guiding criteria, but some cases do not follow the models. The objective of this study was to exactly find out the frequency and variations of each tachycardia. Forty patients aged 14-78 years old were examined for 14 months.Tachycardia was documented with a presumptive diagnosis and later, the programmed electrical stimulation yielded the final diagnosis, with further ablation: intra-nodal tachycardia-29; orthodromic tachycardia-10 and both-1. There was clinical and electrophysiological coincidence in 30 cases (75 %); there was a mistake or doubt in 10 in which orthodromic tachycardia accounted for 3 and intra-nodal for 6 and both for 1. Intra-nodal tachycardia variations are: P overlapped QRS as terminal force; RP under 60 ms, RP higher than or equal to 60 ms; RP longer than PR before QRS. Orthodromic tachycardia had: RP higher than or equal to 60 ms, RP under 60 ms and RP longer than PR. It is concluded that electrocardiogram may be useful for making a diagnosis but there are variations that may lead to mistaken diagnosis which can be corrected by an electrophysiological study

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Author Biographies

Margarita Dorantes Sánchez, Instituto de Cardiología y Cirugía Cardiovascular. Calle 17 # 702, esq. A, EL Vedado, Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba.

Especialista de II Grado en Cardiología. Investigadora Titular.

Jesús Castro Hevia

Especialista de II Grado en Cardiología.

Igor Rodríguez Peredo

Residente de Cardiología.

Roberto Zayas Molina

Especialista de II Grado en Cardiología.

Francisco Dorticós

Doctor en Ciencias. Investigador Titular. Jefe del Servicio de Estimulación Eléctrica del Corazón.

Published

2014-03-18

How to Cite

1.
Dorantes Sánchez M, Castro Hevia J, Rodríguez Peredo I, Zayas Molina R, Dorticós F. Orthodromic and intra-nodal tachycardia. Diagnostic mistakes and ablation. Rev. cuba. cardiol. cir. cardiovasc. [Internet]. 2014 Mar. 18 [cited 2025 Dec. 13];13(1). Available from: https://revcardiologia.sld.cu/index.php/revcardiologia/article/view/444

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Section

Original Articles