Paediatric electrophysiologic studies: how and what with?
Catheter ablation of arrhythmias in children has become standard practice virtually worldwide. Successful and safe ablation has been made possible by a combination of factors. These include increased operator experience, a better understanding of the natural history of a wide variety of arrhythmias, advances in technology such as smaller catheters, the routine use of various three-dimensional mapping systems, and the development of alternative energy sources. It is also not uncommon to perform multiple catheter intervention procedures (ablation +/- intravascular stent implantation +/- device closure of residual shunts +/- elective pacemaker or device implantation) during a single session. It is important to bear in mind that arrhythmia recurrence is commoner in children in general, and that this is particularly the case with postoperative (scar-related arrhythmias). Despite acute success, long-term follow-up is mandated for this subgroup of patients.
Sreeram
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N
University Hospital of Cologne, Germany. N.Sreeram@unikoeln.de
Emmel
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M
Trieschmann
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U
de Haan
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