"Repaired" Tetralogy of Fallot Mimicking Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (Another Phenocopy)

Described is a 41-year-old man who at age 6 had partial resection of an obstructed right ventricular outflow tract with insertion of a patch and closure of a ventricular septal defect (tetralogy of Fallot). At age 41, cardiac transplantation was performed because of right ventricular outflow patch aneurysm, numerous episodes of ventricular tachycardia, and chronic heart failure, all features of the familial form of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). Additionally, the patient had bundle branch block and epsilon waves on electrocardiogram, other features of ARVC. The case is described to introduce the concept of acquired ARVC, because the patient had many of the clinically recognized features of familial ARVC. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. (Am J Cardiol 2011; 108:326-329)