title: Atrioventricular complete block occurring 12 years after successful ablation of slow-slow atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia.
abstract: Atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) is the most frequent form of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. Selective radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation of the slow pathway is an ideal method for treatment of patients with AVNRT. Complete atrioventricular block is a rare but serious complication of RF ablation, and primarily occurs during or immediately after the procedure. We report on a 45-year-old woman who underwent successful ablation for symptomatic AVNRT at the age of 33. She presented with paroxysmal complete AV block, which developed twelve years after RF ablation of the slow pathway and a permanent DDD pacemaker was implanted. As seen in the case we report, complete AV block complicating RF ablation can occur years after the procedure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, İstanbul University, İstanbul Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey. ebru_glck@yahoo.co.nz
authors.forename: Ebru
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gölcük
authors.forename: Kıvanç
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yalın
authors.forename: Ahmet Kaya
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Bilge
authors.forename: Kamil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Adalet
mesh_terms: D054537:Atrioventricular Block / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D013611:Tachycardia, Atrioventricular Nodal Reentry / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors