Simão MF, Rios MN, Leiria TLL, Kruse ML, Pires LM, SantAnna RT, Lima GGD. Electrophysiological studies and radiofrequency ablations in children and adolescents with arrhythmia.
Arq Bras Cardiol 2014;
104:53-7. [PMID:
25372472 PMCID:
PMC4387611 DOI:
10.5935/abc.20140163]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2014] [Accepted: 08/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Radiofrequency ablation is the standard non-pharmacological treatment for
arrhythmias in pediatric patients. However, arrhythmias and their associated
causes have particular features in this population.
Objective
To analyze the epidemiological characteristics and findings of
electrophysiological diagnostic studies and radiofrequency ablations in pediatric
patients referred to the Electrophysiology Unit at Instituto de Cardiologia do Rio
Grande do Sul, in order to characterize the particularities of this
population.
Methods
Cross-sectional study with 330 electrophysiological procedures performed in
patients aged less than 20 years between June 1997 and August 2013.
Results
In total, 330 procedures (9.6% of the overall procedures) were performed in
patients aged less than 20 years (14.33 ± 3.25 years, age range 3 months to 19
years), 201 of which were males (60.9%). A total of 108 (32.7%)
electrophysiological diagnostic studies were performed and of these, 48.1% showed
abnormal findings. Overall, 219 radiofrequency ablations were performed (66.3%)
with a success rate of 84.8%. The presence of an accessory pathway was the most
prevalent finding, occurring in 158 cases (72.1%), followed by atrioventricular
nodal reentrant tachycardia (16.8%), typical atrial flutter (3.1%) and
extrasystoles originating from the right ventricular outflow tract (2.7%). Three
patients developed complications during ablation (1.4%). Among congenital heart
diseases, which occurred in 51 (15.4%) patients, atrial sept defect was the most
frequent (27.4%), followed by ventricular sept defect (25.4%) and Ebstein's
anomaly (17.6%).
Conclusion
Electrophysiological study and radiofrequency ablation are effective tools for
diagnosis and treatment of arrhythmias in the pediatric population.
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