Transcatheter radiofrequency ablation of supraventricular tachycardia was first introduced in 1987. The procedure is now well-accepted as primary treatment for supraventricular tachycardia in paediatric patients. In this report we describe our experience of radiofrequency ablation of accessory pathway mediated supraventricular tachycardia in the past 10 years. From 1994 to 2005, 121 procedures ...

BACKGROUND Epicardial radiofrequency catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia remains challenging because of the presence of deep myocardial scar and adjacent cardiac structures, such as the coronary arteries, phrenic nerve, and epicardial fat that limit delivery of radiofrequency energy. High-intensity ultrasound (HIU) is an acoustic energy source able to deliver deep lesions through fat, ...

Radiofrequency, laser, microwave and cryotherapy have all been used for the ablation of lung tumours. However, radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and microwave ablation are the most widely used technologies. RFA has been successfully applied to tumour measuring from <3 to 3.5 cm, either primary or secondary. Lung function usually recovers to pre-ablation values following an initial reduction and the...

BACKGROUND The relationship between focal pulmonary vein potential and atrial fibrillation (AF) has been confirmed. Pulmonary vein (PV) isolation and circumferential pulmonary vein ablation have been the most commonly used procedures of radiofrequency ablation. However, few studies have investigated the relationship between anatomical characteristics of PV and AF recurrences after radiofrequenc...

Although surgical resection remains the best option as potentially curative therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma, radiofrequency thermal ablation has begun to receive much attention as an effective minimally invasive technique for the local control of unresectable malignant hepatic tumors. Most recent radiofrequency devices equipped with a powerful generator and larger needle electrode permit l...

BACKGROUND Idiopathic ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) can originate from the left ventricular papillary muscles (PAMs). This study investigated the electrophysiological characteristics of these VAs and their relevance for the results of catheter ablation. METHODS AND RESULTS We studied 19 patients who underwent successful catheter ablation of idiopathic VAs originating from the anterior (n=7) a...

BACKGROUND Radiofrequency ablation is a minimal invasive therapy in the treatment of bone metastases. In this study we present a new ablation system enabling an ablation in multiple directions and with an adaptable size and shape. MATERIAL AND METHODS VX-2 tumor was used for the induction of experimental bone metastases in the femur of six New Zealand white rabbits. X-ray imaging as well as C...

BACKGROUND Current guidelines recommend pulmonary-vein isolation by means of catheter ablation as treatment for drug-refractory paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Radiofrequency ablation is the most common method, and cryoballoon ablation is the second most frequently used technology. METHODS We conducted a multicenter, randomized trial to determine whether cryoballoon ablation was noninferior t...

BACKGROUND Complications concerning the coronary arteries that are directly related to radiofrequency catheter ablation procedures have not been reported in children. Coronary artery lesions, however, have been demonstrated after the endocardial application of radiofrequency current in young animals. METHODS AND RESULTS Two boys with Ebstein's anomaly of the tricuspid valve developed clinical...

Although many head and neck surgeons agree that complete surgical excision is the treatment of choice for lymphatic malformation, the infiltrating nature of microcystic lymphatic malformations and the involvement of vital structures of the head and neck make total removal nearly impossible in most cases. Recently radiofrequency ablation was introduced for the treatment of microcystic lymphatic ...