Assessment of the potential damaging effect of radiofrequency exposure in children in prospective follow-up (case report series)

Aim: To evaluate the electrical activity of the myocardium and the radiofrequency (RF) application zone resulting from radiofrequency ablation (RFA) performed at an early age.

Material and Methods. A prospective follow-up study included three patients who underwent intracardiac electrophysiological study (EPS) and effective RFA of the tachycardia for the first time at an early age. A reintervention was required in one case 12 years after the procedure and in two cases six years after it due to recurrent and new-onset arrhythmias. During the reintervention, electroanatomical mapping was performed to assess the potential damaging effect of radiofrequency exposure in the area of the first ablation.

Results. The intracardiac EPS and amplitude bipolar CARTO-reconstruction of primary ablation area were performed during repeated RFA procedure. The study showed that neither zones with a decrease in the amplitude of electrical signal from the myocardium nor silent electrical zones were present ruling out the cicatricial-sclerotic changes in the myocardium in children in the long-term period after RF exposure.

Conclusion. The study showed that no increase in the coagulation necrosis zone in the area of primary ablation occurred during the growth of child when the sparing energy and temperature parameters of RFA and the limited number of RF applications were used. Further research in this area is required.

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