When and how to assess an asymptomatic ventricular pre-excitation syndrome?
Sudden cardiac death may be the first event in the history of Wolff-Parkinson White syndrome: this is a very rare event although as ablation of the accessory pathway avoids this risk a potentially malignant form of the disease needs to be detected. Electrophysiological studies are the most reliable method. These may be performed by a trans-oesophageal or endocavity approach from the age of six to seven years onwards. Whilst it is rare to detect a potentially malignant form the results of these studies more often enable the person to play sports or continue their job without offering radio-frequency ablation. The former however is indicated when tachycardia is induced in children over 12 years old and in adults.
Brembilla-Perrot
Béatrice
B
Brabois University Hospital, 54500 Vandoeuvre, France. b.brembilla-perrot@chu-nancy.fr
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D022062:Electrophysiologic Techniques, Cardiac / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D014927:Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control