Idiopathic ventricular tachycardia in children: curative therapy with radiofrequency ablation
Dalia Baksiene1, Rima Sileikiene, Vytautas Sileikis
1Department of Children's Diseases, Kaunas University of Medicine, Kaunas, Lithuania. vaiku.ligu.klinika@kmuk.lt
Insights
Radiofrequency ablation is a safe and effective treatment for idiopathic ventricular tachycardia in children. This therapy offers a promising option for children, even those without symptoms, to live active lives.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Electrophysiology
- Cardiac Arrhythmias
Background:
- Idiopathic ventricular tachycardia (IVT) is rare in children, lacking clear treatment guidelines.
- Current treatment options for IVT are limited, necessitating further research into effective therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the clinical presentation of IVT in pediatric patients.
- To evaluate the efficacy and safety of radiofrequency ablation for treating IVT in children.
Main Methods:
- Study included 16 children diagnosed with IVT, with a mean age of 12 years.
- All patients underwent electrophysiological examination and radiofrequency ablation.
- A mean follow-up period of 46 months was maintained.
Main Results:
- Radiofrequency ablation was successful in treating both left and right IVT in children.
- All patients survived the procedure, with only one complication (complete right bundle branch block).
- Symptom relief was observed in most patients, including those without initial symptoms.
Conclusions:
- Catheter ablation is a safe and promising therapeutic option for pediatric idiopathic ventricular tachycardia.
- Radiofrequency ablation should be considered a primary treatment for children with IVT, regardless of symptom presence.
- This intervention enables children to maintain active social and physical lives.
Unlabelled:
Idiopathic ventricular tachycardia is a rare condition, and there is a lack of clear guidelines for the necessity and indications for prophylactic antiarrhythmic or curative treatment. The aim of this study was to review the clinical picture of idiopathic ventricular tachycardia and evaluate the efficacy and safety of radiofrequency ablation therapy in children.
Material And Methods:
The subjects of this study were 16 children with idiopathic ventricular tachycardia. The mean age at onset of idiopathic ventricular tachycardia was 12 years. All patients underwent electrophysiological examination. Nonfluoroscopic mapping technology (Carto) was used in one case. Radiofrequency ablation was performed in all children (mean duration of follow-up was 46 months).
Results:
Six children with idiopathic ventricular tachycardia were free of symptoms. Palpitation was the only complain in four patients, and six patients presented with symptoms of circulatory disorder (the tendency of the higher rate of ventricular tachycardia and more premature contractions and episodes of ventricular tachycardia in one day were noticed in five of them). All children after radiofrequency ablation were alive, and only one complication (complete right bundle branch block) occurred. Success at last follow-up included five children with left and six with right idiopathic ventricular tachycardia.
Conclusions:
Catheter ablation seems a promising therapeutic option with the outlook possible of the idiopathic ventricular tachycardia in children. It is safe enough and should be considered as the therapy of choice even in children without of symptoms if they wish to live active social and physical life.
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