Utility of implantable loop recorders for diagnosing unexplained syncope in clinical practice.

Background: Establishing a symptom-rhythm correlation in patients with unexplained syncope is complicated because of its sporadic, infrequent, and unpredictable nature. Prolonged monitoring with an implantable loop recorder (ILR) allows the recording of electrocardiogram (ECG) data from a spontaneous syncopal event.

Hypothesis: The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the ILR for the diagnosis of syncope of unknown origin after conventional management in clinical practice.

Uncommon etiology of syncope in a patient with isolated ventricular noncompaction.

Isolated noncompaction of left ventricular myocardium (IVNC) is categorized as an unclassified cardiomyopathy by the World Health Organization. We describe the case of a 29-year-old woman who was diagnosed with IVNC after suffering two syncopes caused by an atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) that was successfully ablated. We report successful radiofrequency ablation in an adult with this cardiomyopathy.

Delayed pericardial tamponade after penetrating chest trauma.

Delayed pericardial tamponade (PT) after penetrating heart trauma is now a rare condition as a result of advances in medical and surgical management. We report the case of a 32-year-old man with delayed PT after a stab wound from a knife. The initial evaluation was consistent with a traumatic apical myocardial infarction.