Radiofrequency treatment of cardiac arrhythmias at the Cardiology Center in Iaşi
Grecu, M.; Arsenescu-Georgescu, C.ăt.ăl.; Georgescu, G.I.M.
Revista Medico-Chirurgicala a Societatii de Medici Si Naturalisti Din Iasi 108(3): 536-543
2004
ISSN/ISBN: 0048-7848 PMID: 15832970 Document Number: 582612
It is well known that the radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) treatment of cardiac arrhythmias is effective and devoid of significant complications. However, in our country, the experience of this technique is not so large and requires more clinical studies to validate it. The aim of this was to present our experience in the RFCA of cardiac tachycardias. Between July 2002 and February 2003, in Iaşi Cardiology Center, we performed a total of 79 diagnosis procedures. Of these 57 (72%) were radiofrequency ablation procedures at 51 patients, mean age 48 +/- 16 years (12-81), men majority 32 (63%). The electrophysiology diagnosis was: 22 (39%) common atrial flutter, 3 (5%) atrial tachycardias, 13 (23%) atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia, 12 (21%) Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, 4 (7%) orthodromic tachycardia using concealed accessory pathway, 2 (3%) ventricular tachycardias and 1 (2%) ablation of the atrioventricular junction. The initial ablation procedure was effective in 44/ 51 patients (86%), with a total duration of 130 +/- 42 min, using 24 +/- 10 min of radioscopy. During follow-up 13 +/- 1.3 (11-16 months), recurrence occurred in 7 patients 14%. In 7 of them a second effective procedure was performed in 4 patients. Finally, radiofrequency ablation was effective in 48/51 of patients (94%), improving the procedural success rate at 95% (54/57 patients). No complications occurred during follow-up. The treatment of cardiac arrhythmias by radiofrequency catheter ablation is effective and safe and is the only way to cure the supraventricular and ventricular tachyarrhythmias.