[From implantable cardioverter-defibrillator to cardiac resynchronization therapy with the use of epicardial left ventricular lead. The evolution of the treatment of post inflammatory heart failure--a case report].

The authors present a case of a 77-year-old man with heart failure in the course of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and atrial fibrillation (AF), after implantation of an automatic cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) due to recurrent symptomatic ventricular tachycardia (VT). Addition of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) was decided due to the heart-failure dependent intensification of the arrhythmia and poststimulation enlargement of QRS. CRT was led to withdraw patient's arrhythmia and to improvement of the general condition of the patient for approximately one year. After the arrhythmia reoccurred due to dislocation of the electrode in the coronary sinus with loss of left ventricle stimulation. Multiple attempts at restoration of resynchronization function via a transvenous approach failed. The patient was qualified for implantation of an epicardial left ventricle electrode. The surgery was combined with a planned exchange of ICD-CRT. Basing on a 6-month observation period an improvement heart performance and general state of health have been observed. No arrhythmic event has been noted in device memory. Performed procedures are picturing the evolution of in pacing techniques and automatic defibrillation in Poland over recent years.