Journal of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery

Background: We previously reported that radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) is effective for obtaining a complete recovery from Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome. Since few reports have addressed the outcomes after RFCA in children with atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT), we evaluated the clinical features after RFCA to treat such children.

Methods: Between 1993 and 2001, RFCA was performed for AVNRT in 71 patients in our institute. We recently sent a questionnaire survey to 51 affected children and obtained replies from 23. We analyzed the replies in terms of the patient age, gender, body mass index, history of medication before RFCA, congenital heart disease, abolition of echo or one echo after RFCA, type of AVNRT, and repeat ablation.

Results: Twelve of the 23 (52%) respondents experienced palpitations after RFCA (Group A). Seven patients in this group (30%) sought a medical evaluation at a hospital after the procedure; this amounted to 58% of the patients in Group A. Among the 11 patients without palpitations after the procedure (Group B), none visited a hospital for an evaluation. Twenty-two respondents (96%) were satisfied with the effectiveness of the treatment. There was a statistically significant difference between the 2 groups with regard to the percentage of patients who received medication prior to RFCA (A, 58%; B, 17%).

Conclusions: Approximately half of the patients with AVNRT experienced palpitations after RFCA even though most patients were satisfied with the treatment. In this study, the cause of palpitations was usually not disclosed; however, palpitations after RFCA were more common in patients with a history of medication. We have to create a system such as the patients can be re-examined long after the RFCA.