Pediatric radiofrequency ablation for tachyarrhythmias: the Westchester Medical Center experience

Radiofrequency ablation, first performed in the late 1980s, has become a standard therapeutic procedure for tachyarrhythmias in children and adults. This procedure can achieve a high degree of success with minimal complications. This report describes the pediatric radiofrequency ablation experience at Westchester Medical Center, including 89 consecutive children who have undergone 104 ablations of 96 arrhythmia substrates with an overall success rate of 95%. The series is analyzed in the context of previously published series of pediatric radiofrequency ablations. Unresolved issues in pediatric ablation related to anesthesia, learning curve, necessity for hospital admission, anticoagulation protocol, and technical aspects of the procedure are discussed.