Cardiac electrophysiology studies and ablations for treatment of supraventricular arrhythmias--an initial experience from Karachi.

OBJECTIVES To review the clinical experience, complications and outcome of Cardiac Electrophysiology Studies and Catheter Radiofrequency Ablation in treatment of supraventricular tachycardias in Karachi. METHODS A retrospective review of records of all patients who underwent an electrophysiological study and radiofrequency ablation at National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases and Aga Khan University Hospital from 2005 to 2007 was performed. Patient's demographics, disease and procedural data were collected and analyzed using SPSS.V.II. RESULTS We enrolled 168 patients, 150 (89%) from National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases and 18 (11%) from Aga Khan University Hospital. Sample had 86 (51%) male participants. The mean age was 43 +/- 15 years. Indications for procedure were recurrent supraventricular tachycardias (89.9%), Wolff Parkinson White Syndrome with atrial fibrillation (5.9%), syncope (2.4%), and wide QRS tachycardia (1.8%). Final diagnosis was Wolff Parkinson White Syndrome in 80 (48%) and Atriovetricular Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia in 88 (52%). The accessory pathway in Wolff Parkinson White Syndrome was located on left side in 61% of cases and on right side in 39% of cases. Overall acute success rate for Radio Frequency ablation was 90%. Success rate for ablation of accessory pathway in Wolff Parkinson White Syndrome was 85% while that for ablation of slow pathway in AV node re-entrant tachycardia was 95%. Complications occurred in one case. CONCLUSION Electro Physiology Studies and Radiofrequency ablation proved to be a safe and effective method for diagnosis and treatment of supraventricular tachycardias in our patients.