Evaluation of possible long-term adverse consequences of radiofrequency ablation of accessory pathways

Abstract Several recent publications have demonstrated a high success rate and few serious procedure-related acute complications with radiofrequency ablation of accessory atrioventricular (AV) pathways 1–3 However, the long-term consequences have not been well characterized. This procedure usually involves making 1 or more radiofrequency lesions at the accessory pathway's ventricular insertion site at the level of the AV groove. Segments of several of the major coronary arteries lie within the AV groove and could be damaged or thrombosed inadvertently by this procedure. Furthermore, each lesion creates a small scar that could be associated with new ventricular arrhythmias. 4 Because of these theoretic concerns, this study was designed to determine prospectively whether radiofrequency ablation of accessory pathways causes the development of inducible or spontaneous ventricular tachycardia or chronic alterations of coronary arterv anatomy.