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Premature Ventricular Contractions

Medically reviewed by: Dr. med. Thomas Zerm
These are additional heartbeats which can be perceived as disturbing. If you have the findings in the normal ECG, a long-term ECG should be performed by Dr Sunier in a Heart Check-Up be performed. If more than 10% or 10,000 are recorded over 24 hours, ablation can help.
Ventrikuläre Extrasystolen
People living in Switzerland:
Consultation, second opinions and all treatments are covered by basic health insurance.
Dr. med. Thomas Zerm

Dr. med. Thomas Zerm

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3D Mapping and PVC ablation

Just a few years ago, interventional treatment of ventricular arrhythmias was limited to the implantation of defibrillators. This is a therapy that can save lives, but for many patients, it impairs quality of life due to frequent electrical shocks and sometimes even prolongs suffering. Increasingly, ablation of ventricular arrhythmias can help in these cases, either as a standalone treatment or in combination with a defibrillator.

Our experience in recent years shows that even for complex forms of ablation therapy, outpatient procedures are now possible. With careful treatment planning—using state-of-the-art three-dimensional mapping techniques, new catheter designs, and innovative treatment concepts such as substrate modification and Purkinje modulation—we can significantly increase the long-term effectiveness of this therapy while minimizing the complication rate.

VIVO Mapping System 

VIVO Mappingsystem

Fig.: Using AI, the origin of the arrhythmia is identified based on the surface ECG and an external 3D image. This enables a more effective procedure, as it can be planned and performed with even greater precision.

With the VIVO system, we have Switzerland’s first noninvasive mapping system, which can predict the source of a ventricular arrhythmia with the highest precision (95%) even before the actual invasive procedure. For the first time, this enables detailed procedure planning for the appropriate access route, the optimal form of anesthesia, and the selection of the catheters to be used. This new, highly effective method drastically reduces the often lengthy examination time.

FAQs

What are ventricular premature beats, and what do they feel like?

Ventricular extrasystoles are additional, unscheduled heartbeats originating in the ventricle, which many patients perceive as a “skipped beat,” a pause, or an irregular pulse. They can be bothersome, but are not dangerous in and of themselves—whether they require treatment depends on their frequency and the symptoms they cause.

How is it determined whether treatment is necessary?

First, a standard ECG is performed. If frequent extrasystoles are suspected, a 24-hour Holter monitor is performed. If more than 10% of all heartbeats or more than 10,000 extrasystoles are recorded over 24 hours, ablation may be appropriate. To plan the procedure more precisely, the clinic also uses a noninvasive, AI-supported mapping system (VIVO), which locates the source of the arrhythmia with approximately 95% accuracy even before the procedure.

How does the treatment work, and do I have to go to the hospital for it?

Depending on the findings, catheter ablation (including pulse-field ablation), surgical ablation, or hybrid ablation may be considered. Thanks to modern techniques, even more complex ablation treatments can now be performed on an outpatient basis—that is, without a hospital stay. For individuals residing in Switzerland, basic health insurance covers the initial consultation, follow-up consultations, second opinions, and treatment.