Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of radiofrequency ablation in treatment of supraventricular tachycardias in pediatric age group

ABSTRACT

The present study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of radiofrequency [RF] catheter ablation in treatment of Supraventricular tachycardia [SVT] in children. A total of 60 pediatric patients with clinically documented SVT underwent an electrophysiologic study and RF catheter ablation at Mansoura University Children Hospital. The arrhythmias included alrioventricular reentrant tachycardia [AVRT; n = 45, 75%], atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia [AVNRT; n = 6, 10%], and atrial tachycardia [AT; n = 9, 15%]. The success rate of the RF catheter ablation was 93.3% for AVRT, 66.7% for AVNRT, and 77.8% for AT, respectively. Procedure-related complications were infrequent [7/60, 11.7%], [atrial flutter during RF catheter ablation [4/60, 6.6%]; ventricular fibrillation during RF catheter ablation [1/60,1.6%]; transient complete heart block during anesthesia or during RF catheter ablation [2/60, 3.3%]]. The recurrence rate was 8.3% [5/60] during a follow-up period of 24 months. RF catheter ablation is an effective and safe method to manage children with SVT