Operative techniques in association with arrhythmia surgery in patients with congenital heart disease

Arrhythmia surgery in patients with congenital disease is challenged by the range of anatomic variants, arrhythmia types, and intramyocardial scar location. Experimental and clinical studies have elucidated the mechanisms of arrhythmias for accessory connections, atrial fibrillation, atrial reentry tachycardia, nodal reentry tachycardia, focal or automatic atrial tachycardia, and ventricular tachycardia. The surgical and transcatheter possibilities are numerous, and the congenital heart surgeon should have a comprehensive understanding of all arrhythmia types and potential methods of ablation. The purpose of this article is to introduce resternotomy techniques for safe mediastinal reentry and to review operative techniques of arrhythmia surgery in association with congenital heart disease.