Catheter ablation in children and adolescents

Adult and pediatric interventional electrophysiology practices have been diverging for the past 10 years, and so we review current pediatric ablation practice. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is safe and efficacious as documented by recent prospective, multi-center pediatric studies. Computer assisted mapping systems used for complex arrhythmias in adult patients have been successfully deployed in selected pediatric substrates. With increased computational power, decreased catheter size, and increased maneuverability, we expect increased use in the pediatric population. Finally, cryoablation has demonstrated efficacy and safety in locations traditionally associated with increased risk when using RFA, particularly around the AV node. As larger, multi-institutional studies are undertaken, the benefits of this technology in pediatric patients will be better defined.