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Resumo Fundamento As últimas décadas têm assistido ao rápido desenvolvimento do tratamento invasivo de arritmias por procedimentos de ablação por cateter. Apesar da sua segurança e eficácia bem estabelecida em adultos, até o momento, há poucos dados nos cenários pediátricos. Uma das principais preocupações é a possível expansão da cicatriz do procedimento de ablação nessa população e suas consequências ao longo dos anos. Objetivos Este estudo teve como objetivo analisar o risco da progressão da lesão miocárdica após ablação por cateter de radiofrequência em pacientes pediátricos. Métodos Este é um estudo retrospectivo de 20 pacientes pediátricos com tratamento prévio de arritmia supraventricular com ablação, submetidos à ressonância magnética cardíaca e angiografia coronária para avaliação de fibrose miocárdica e da integridade das artérias coronárias durante o acompanhamento. Resultados A idade mediana no procedimento de ablação foi 15,1 anos (Q1 12,9, Q3 16,6) e 21 anos (Q1 20, Q3 23) quando a ressonância magnética cardíaca foi realizada. Quatorze dos pacientes eram mulheres. Taquicardia por reentrada nodal e síndrome de Wolf-Parkinson-White foram os principais diagnósticos (19 pacientes), com um paciente com taquicardia atrial. Três pacientes apresentaram fibrose miocárdica ventricular, mas com um volume inferior a 0,6 cm 3 . Nenhum deles desenvolveu disfunção ventricular e nenhum paciente apresentou lesões coronarianos na angiografia. Conclusão A ablação por cateter de radiofrequência não mostrou aumentar o risco de progressão de lesão miocárdica ou de lesões na artéria coronária.
Abstract Background The past decades have seen the rapid development of the invasive treatment of arrhythmias by catheter ablation procedures. Despite its safety and efficacy being well-established in adults, to date there has been little data in pediatric scenarios. One of the main concerns is the possible expansion of the ablation procedure scar in this population and its consequences over the years. Objectives This study aimed to analyze the risk of myocardial injury progression after radiofrequency catheter ablation in pediatric patients. Methods This is a retrospective study of 20 pediatric patients with previous ablation for treatment of supraventricular arrhythmia that underwent cardiac magnetic resonance and coronary angiography for evaluation of myocardial fibrosis and the integrity of the coronary arteries during follow-up. Results The median age at ablation procedure was 15.1 years (Q1 12.9, Q3 16.6) and 21 years (Q1 20, Q3 23) when the cardiac magnetic resonance was performed. Fourteen of them were women. Nodal reentry tachycardia and Wolf-Parkinson-White Syndrome were the main diagnosis (19 patients), with one patient with atrial tachycardia. Three patients had ventricular myocardial fibrosis, but with a volume < 0.6 cm 3 . None of them developed ventricular dysfunction and no patient had coronary lesions on angiography. Conclusion Radiofrequency catheter ablation did not show to increase the risk of myocardial injury progression or coronary artery lesions.
RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate whether the inclusion of videothoracoscopy in a pleural empyema treatment algorithm would change the clinical outcome of such patients. METHODS: This study performed quality-improvement research. We conducted a retrospective review of patients who underwent pleural decortication for pleural empyema at our institution from 2002 to 2008. With the old algorithm (January 2002 to September 2005), open decortication was the procedure of choice, and videothoracoscopy was only performed in certain sporadic mid-stage cases. With the new algorithm (October 2005 to December 2008), videothoracoscopy became the first-line treatment option, whereas open decortication was only performed in patients with a thick pleural peel (>2 cm) observed by chest scan. The patients were divided into an old algorithm (n = 93) and new algorithm (n = 113) group and compared. The main outcome variables assessed included treatment failure (pleural space reintervention or death up to 60 days after medical discharge) and the occurrence of complications. RESULTS: Videothoracoscopy and open decortication were performed in 13 and 80 patients from the old algorithm group and in 81 and 32 patients from the new algorithm group, respectively (p<0.01). The patients in the new algorithm group were older (41 +1 vs. 46.3+ 16.7 years, p = 0.014) and had higher Charlson Comorbidity Index scores [0(0-3) vs. 2(0-4), p = 0.032]. The occurrence of treatment failure was similar in both groups (19.35% vs. 24.77%, p = 0.35), although the complication rate was lower in the new algorithm group (48.3% vs. 33.6%, p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: The wider use of videothoracoscopy in pleural empyema treatment was associated with fewer complications and unaltered rates of mortality and reoperation even though more severely ill patients were subjected to videothoracoscopic surgery.