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European Heart Journal 2001 22(7):605-609; doi:10.1053/euhj.2000.2409
Copyright © 2001 by the European Society of Cardiology.
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Late clinical outcome after successful radiofrequency catheter ablation of accessory pathways

J Schläpferf1 and M Fromer

Division of Cardiology, University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland

revised August 1, 2000; accepted August 2, 2000

Abstract

Aims To evaluate the long-term clinical results of patients who underwent successful radiofrequency catheter ablation of a symptomatic drug-resistant accessory-pathway-mediated tachycardia.

Methods and Results Clinical follow-up was done by direct contact with the patients and their physicians. One hundred and eighty consecutive patients (113 males, 67 females) were followed during a median period of 48·1 months. There were seven procedure related complications (4%). During the follow-up period, 79% of the patients remained asymptomatic; 14% complained of short bouts of palpitations due to isolated or short runs of atrial or ventricular premature beats; 7% had sustained palpitations due either to accessory pathway recurrence (4%) or supraventricular tachyarrhythmias not associated with an accessory pathway (3%). Symptoms due to accessory pathway recurrence appeared either in the first month following the ablation or at least later than 3 months when sustained supraventricular arrhythmias occurred related to another cause.

Conclusions Initially successful radiofrequency catheter ablation has a low, long-term recurrence rate (4%). Recurrence of accessory-pathway-mediated tachycardia is observed during the first month while later symptoms suggest supraventricular arrhythmias from another cause.

Key Words: Radiofrequency ablation, accessory pathway, follow-up

f1 Correspondence: J. Schläpfer, MD, Division of Cardiology, University Hospital, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland.

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