Fetus with long QT syndrome manifested by tachyarrhythmia: a case report.

We encountered a fetus who exhibited transient (at most 30 s), repeated episodes of tachyarrhythmia (240 bpm). This female neonate was born at 36 weeks of gestation and showed a markedly prolonged QT interval and transient, repeated episodes of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. Congenital long QT syndrome was diagnosed. Retrospective analysis of the videotape showing fetal cardiac movement revealed that atrio-ventricular dissociation was present prenatally and thus, the fetal tachyarrhythmia was due to ventricular tachycardia. To our knowledge, there are few reports of a fetus with the long QT syndrome who exhibited ventricular tachycardia in utero. In the presence of unexplained fetal tachyarrhythmia, long QT syndrome should be considered as a possible underlying cause disorder. The presence of atrio-ventricular dissociation may be useful in prenatal diagnosis of long QT syndrome. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.