Radiofrequency ablation of childhood arrhythmia: observational registry in 125 children.

Background: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in children is an increasingly common practice.

Objective: To evaluate, in our institution, the results of RFA in children younger than 15 years.

Methods: A total of 125 children submitted to RFA between May 1991 and May 2010 were analyzed.

Myocarditis in children and detection of viruses in myocardial tissue: implications for immunosuppressive therapy.

Background: There is scarce information on the potential benefits of immunosuppression in children with myocarditis and viral genomes in myocardium. We investigated the occurrence of myocarditis in children with a preliminary diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy, the frequency of cardiotropic viruses in the myocardium, and the response to immunosuppression.

Methods: Thirty patients (nine months to 12 years) with left ventricular ejection fraction of 22.

Prognostic value of cardiopulmonary exercise testing in children with heart failure secondary to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy in a non-beta-blocker therapy setting.

Background: Peak oxygen consumption and resting left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) are independent predictors of survival in adult heart failure (HF) patients.

Aim: To evaluate these factors in children.

Methods: We prospectively studied 31 children with NYHA class I to III HF (mean LVEF 26+/-10%; mean age 8.

Bi-atrial subxiphoid epicardial pacemaker in superior vena cava syndrome.

A patient with a bi-atrial-ventricular permanent pacemaker due to paroxystic atrial fibrillation associated to sinus bradycardia, in chronic use of oral anticoagulant, presented clinical signs of superior vena cava syndrome. Digital subtraction venography showed total obstruction of the right brachiocephalic venous trunk and severe stenosis of the connection of the left trunk to the superior vena cava. The therapeutic approach consisted of complete removal of transvenous system followed by re-implant of the bi-atrial-ventricular system using an epicardial subxiphoid access with fluoroscopic assistance.