Long-term experience with the automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator in a patient with ventricular tachyarrhythmias.

The authors offer a retrospective appraisal of a technique for the treatment of malignant ventricular tachyarrhythmias using the automatic implantable cardioverterdefibrillator (AICD) in a patient with right ventricular arrhythmogenic dysplasia. Device function after the first implantation and reimplantation was checked by repeated (63 times) outpatient 24-hr ECG monitoring. All recordings suggested a reliable detecting and defibrillating function of the AICD. The patient died two years after the first implantation. The probable cause of death was failure of the mechanical myocardial function.