Long-term efficacy of slow-pathway catheter ablation in patients with documented but noninducible supraventricular tachycardia

Wang, Lexin; Yang, Haibo; Han, Zhanying; Zhang, Yanzhou

doi:10.1016/j.arcmed.2004.06.008

« Previous Next »Archives of Medical Research
Volume 35, Issue 6 , Pages 507-510, November 2004

Long-term efficacy of slow-pathway catheter ablation in patients with documented but noninducible supraventricular tachycardia

Lexin Wang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou City, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia
- Address reprint requests to: Lexin Wang, MD, PhD, School of Biomedical Sciences, Charles Sturt University. Wagga Wagga, NSW 2678, Australia. Phone: +61 2 69332905, Fax: +61 2 69 332587
Haibo Yang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou City, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
Zhanying Han
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou City, Henan Province, People's Republic of China
Yanzhou Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou City, Henan Province, People's Republic of China

Received 3 December 2003; accepted 18 June 2004.

(04/052)

Background

The long-term efficacy of radiofrequency catheter ablation of slow pathway in patients with dual atrioventricular node pathway and a documented but noninducible paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) is not entirely clear.

Methods

Forty nine patients (Group A) with documented but noninducible PSVT and dual atrioventricular node pathway were prospectively studied. Programmed electrical stimulation induced a single atrioventricular node echo beat in 13 patients, and double echo beats in 9 at baseline or during isoproterenol infusion. Clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of Group A patients were compared with that of age- and gender-matched patients with dual atrioventricular node pathway but inducible PSVT (Group B).

Results

There was no significant difference in the electrophysiological properties of the fast and slow pathways between the two groups. Catheter ablation eliminated the slow pathway in all patients. There was no recurrence of PSVT in either Group A or Group B during the follow-up of 38 ± 5 months.

Conclusions

In patients with dual atrioventricular node pathway and a documented but noninducible PSVT, catheter ablation of slow pathway is highly effective in preventing tachycardia in long term.

Key words: Radiofrequency catheter ablation, Slow pathway, Supraventricular tachycardia, Electrophysiology