Review Article - Role of Left Cardiac Sympathetic Denervation in the Management of Congenital Long QT Syndrome

Congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a rare but life-threatening disorder affecting cardiac electrophysiology. It occurs due to mutation in genes encoding for the ion channels in ventricular cell membrane. Syncopal attacks and cardiac arrest are the main symptoms of the disease. Anti-adrenergic therapy with oral β-blockers has been the mainstay of treatment for LQTS. However, up to 30% of patients fail to respond to medical therapy and remain symptomatic. An alarming 10% of patients still experience cardiac arrest or sudden cardiac death during the course of therapy. Left cardiac sympathetic denervation (LCSD) has been used as an alternative therapy in patients who are resistant to β-blockers. Although LCSD appears effective in reducing the frequency of syncopal attacks and improving the survival rate in both the short and long-term, its use has not gained popularity. The recent advent of minimally invasive thoracoscopic sympathectomy may improve the acceptance of LCSD by physicians and patients in the future. The primary objective of this article was to review the current evidence of the clinical efficacy and safety of LCSD in the management of LQTS. The review was based on Medline search of articles published between 1966 and 2002. (J Postgrad Med 2003;49:179-181)