title: Current case mix and results of catheter ablation of regular supraventricular tachycardia: are we giving unrealistic expectations to patients?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Catheter ablation (CA) has become the treatment of choice for regular supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the current clinical results in a large single centre are as good as success rates quoted to patients from published trials and national cardiology society websites.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We recorded and analysed prospectively the acute and follow-up (FU) results of all CA procedures performed for SVT at our institution over a 2-year period. We compared our results with the success rates of 90-98% for CA quoted in the literature. We performed a total of 547 CA at our institution over 2 years, of which 389 (71%) were for regular SVT. Of these, 71 procedures (18%) were redo procedures. The overall acute procedural success rate was 96.1% (374/389). Follow-up data were available for 367 of 389 (94.3%) procedures. The overall 6-week success rate varied between 74.7 and 91.3% depending on the SVT type (average 83.9%). The FU success rates were lower for redo procedures (47/66, 71.2%) when compared with first ablation (de novo) procedures (261/301, 86.7%), P = 0.003.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Published success rates are much better than current success rates in a large single centre. It is possible that the information regarding outcome given to patients during the consent process is not accurate.
authors: Department of Cardiology, St Bartholomew's Hospital, Dominion House, West Smithfield, London EC1A 7BE, UK.
authors: Refai
authors: R
authors: Showkathali
authors: Mark J
authors: MJ
authors: Earley
authors: Dhiraj
authors: D
authors: Gupta
authors: Maysaa
authors: M
authors: Alzetani
authors: Stuart
authors: S
authors: Harris
authors: Peter M
authors: PM
authors: Kistler
authors: Simon C
authors: SC
authors: Sporton
authors: Richard J
authors: RJ
authors: Schilling
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D013617:Tachycardia, Supraventricular / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome