SUCCESSFUL RADIOFREQUENCY ABLATION IN A 3-MONTH-OLD BABY WITH PERMANENT JUNCTIONAL RECIPROCATING TACHYCARDIA - A NEW ERA IN THE TREATMENT OF INCESSANT LIFE-THREATENING ARRHYTHMIAS IN INFANTS
E. Zalzstein et al., SUCCESSFUL RADIOFREQUENCY ABLATION IN A 3-MONTH-OLD BABY WITH PERMANENT JUNCTIONAL RECIPROCATING TACHYCARDIA - A NEW ERA IN THE TREATMENT OF INCESSANT LIFE-THREATENING ARRHYTHMIAS IN INFANTS, American journal of perinatology, 12(2), 1995, pp. 82-83
We report our experience in treating a 3-month-old baby with accessory
atrioventricular pathway by radiofrequency (RF) ablation. The baby wa
s discovered to have incessant supraventricular tachycardia at 4 weeks
of age. At that time, two-dimensional echocardiography showed dilated
cardiomyopathy. Multiple direct current shocks and multipharmaceutica
l treatment failed to restore sinus rhythm. Electrophysiology study sh
owed the presence of posteroseptal accessory pathway. Immediately afte
r delivery of two RF pu Ises, successful ablation of the accessory pat
hway and complete atrioventricular (AV) block with good junctional esc
ape rhythm were observed. Normal rhythm and AV conduction subsequently
returned and all medical treatment was discontinued. To our best know
ledge, this is the first case of successful treatment with RF ablation
in early infancy.