Valves replacement operation in treatment of electrical storm induced by rheumatic valves disease

ObjectiveTo present a case of electrical storm (ES) in a female patient with rheumatic valve disease.MethodsA female patient with severe rheumatic valve disease suffered an unexpected ES. She received more than 50 electrical shocks for repeated cardiac arrests due to ES over 16 hours. Then she received beta-blocking agent treatment and had an operation of double valves replacement.ResultsES was suppressed by sympathetic blockade with beta-receptor blocker and finally disappeared after the double pathological valves had been replaced.ConclusionIncreased sympathetic activity plays an important role in the genesis of electrical storm and sympathetic blockade may effectively suppress ES. However, the most important thing in the treatment of ES is to identify and eliminate the underlying cause of ES.