title: Radiofrequency ablation of childhood arrhythmia: observational registry in 125 children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in children is an increasingly common practice.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate, in our institution, the results of RFA in children younger than 15 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 125 children submitted to RFA between May 1991 and May 2010 were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-seven (53.6%) children were males, aged between 44 days and 15 years (mean 8.6 ± 3.3 years) with median weight of 31 kg. Heart disease was present in 21 (16.8%) patients. The RFA of accessory pathways (AP) was the most common procedure (62 children - 49.6%). The RFA of nodal reentrant tachycardia (NRT) was the second most common arrhythmia in 27 (21.6%), followed by atrial tachycardia (AT) in 16 (12.8%) and ventricular tachycardias (VT) in 8 (6.4%) children. The success criteria were achieved in 86.9%, 96.1%, 80% and 62.5% of patients undergoing RFA of AP, NRT, AT and VT, respectively. Transient AVB occurred during RFA in 4 (3.2%) and LBBB in 7 (5.6%) children. Twenty-five children underwent a new RFA due to initial failure or recurrence. During the mean follow up of 5.5 ± 3.4 years, 107 (88.4%) remained without recurrence. There was no statistical difference regarding the results and the age at which the patient underwent the procedure. No child had persistent AVB or required a permanent pacemaker.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Catheter ablation is a safe and effective alternative therapy in children with recurrent tachycardias refractory to medical treatment.
authors.affiliation: InCor, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Sissy Lara de
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.forename: Maurício Ibrahim
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Scanavacca
authors.forename: Cristiano
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pisani
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Darrieux
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hachul
authors.forename: Carina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hardy
authors.forename: Paulo Roberto
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Camargo
authors.forename: Edmar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Atik
authors.forename: Eduardo Argentino
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Sosa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome