Introduction: Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFA) is the treatment of choice for a variety of cardiac arrhythmias in adults. RFA is considered effective and is associated with few complications. We aimed to review the characteristics and outcomes of invasive electrophysiological study (EPS) and RFA in children with supraventricular tachyarrhythmia.
Methods: Consecutive patients younger than 16 years of age undergoing EPS and possible RFA from January 2009 to September 2018 at Aarhus University Hospital (uptake three million people) were reviewed retrospectively. Procedural and outcome data were collected from patient charts and from the Danish Ablation Database. Numbers (%) or median (range) are reported.
Results: A total of 304 patients (148 girls) underwent EPS (352 procedures). RFA was performed in 246 patients (279 procedures), aged 13 (1-15) years and weighing 46 (6-99) kg. Treatment success was achieved in 195 (79%) of the initial procedures. Using more than one procedure, 227 (92%) patients were free from arrhythmia after 89 (26-143) months of follow-up. The procedure time was 60 (22-222) min. and ablation time 2 (1-23) min. Major complications occurred in two cases. One patient developed transient superior vena cava syndrome and one patient developed an atrioventricular block requiring pacemaker implantation.
Conclusions: RFA may be performed in children with a high success rate and a low but not negligible risk of complications.
Funding: none.
Trial registration: Approval was obtained from the Danish Data Protection Agency (1-16-02-430-13).
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