A Rare Desmoglein-2 Gene Mutation in Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy Inciting Incessant Ventricular Fibrillation

Abstract

A case of a 51-year-old female with history of hypertension and a significant family history of premature coronary artery disease presented to the hospital after cardiac arrest. She successfully completed a targeted temperature management therapy with full neurologic recovery. Her hospital course was complicated by several bouts of ventricular fibrillation (VF) arrest which was rescued by timely defibrillation, high quality cardiorespiratory resuscitation, and administration of antiarrhythmic medications and inotropic agents. An automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator (AICD) was inserted for secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD). A targeted genetic testing for idiopathic ventricular fibrillation revealed a mutation in the desmoglein-2 (DSG2) gene involved in arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). Eventually, a ventricular fibrillation radiofrequency ablation prevented recurrence of fatal arrhythmia and its associated symptoms.