[Our experience with transvenous ablation of the atrioventricular node]

In 7 patients conventional a-v nodal ablation was performed using electrical energy delivered from the cardioverter via a catheter-electrode positioned near His bundle area. In all patients indication for the ablation were rapid symptomatic supraventricular arrhythmias refractory to previous pharmacological treatment. During the ablation 1-2 discharges of 200-300 J energy were used, repeating the procedure in 2 patients after 24 hours. In all patients the complete a-v block was obtained and the injury of the postero-septal accessory pathway in 3 subjects. Patients were pacemaker dependent without recurrences of supraventricular arrhythmias with rapid ventricular response. Except mild and local myocardial lesion expressed by transient increase of indicatory enzymes we did not observed any other complications directly related to the ablation procedure. Our modest experience in application of conventional a-v nodal ablation proves that this procedure could and should be used in selected patients at the medical centers having the appropriate equipment and experience in clinical electrophysiology.