New approaches to the management of the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome
Tonkin, A.M.
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Medicine 6(5): 441-446
1976
ISSN/ISBN: 0004-8291 PMID: 1071875 Document Number: 96482
Pre-excitation has been defined as "a condition in which all or some portion of the ventricular muscle is activated earlier in relation to atrial events, than would be expected had the impulse reached the ventricle by way of the normal atrioventricular conduction system". The susceptibility of patients with pre-excitation to paroxysmal tachycardias had been described many years previously. The Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome was initially thought to have a relatively benign prognosis. Subsequently, it was recognised that some patients were prone to life-threatening arrhythmias and sudden death. This recognition has given impetus to sophisticated electrophysiological study of the pre-excitation syndromes by recently developed techniques of catheterisation, epicardial mapping and surgery. The purpose of this review is to highlight the recent advances in management of the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome which have been based upon these electrophysiological techniques.