The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics
2009 , Vol 51 , Num 6
Clinical importance of transesophageal electrophysiologic study in the management of supraventricular tachycardia in children
Pediatric Cardiology Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
Transesophageal electrophysiologic study (TEEPS) is a semi-invasive method
widely used for evaluation of symptoms related to arrhythmia. In this study, we
aimed to determine the accuracy of TEEPS in the diagnosis and differentiation
of mechanisms of supraventricular tachycardias (SVTs) by comparing results
of transesophageal and intracardiac electrophysiologic studies. We performed
TEEPS and a subsequent radiofrequency ablation (RFA) procedure in 76
patients. Indications of TEEPS were risk assessment for Wolff-Parkinson-
White syndrome in 32 patients and diagnosis and differentiation of tachycardia
mechanisms in 44 patients. The procedure was well tolerated in all patients.
Positive predictive value of TEEPS in our study was 91% for differentiation of
SVT mechanisms. The results suggest that TEEPS is safe, useful and effective
in the evaluation of symptoms related to arrhythmia, in differentiation of
mechanisms of SVTs, and finally in defining the treatment options of SVT.
The technique also provides an opportunity for risk assessment and deciding
the treatment modality in Wolff-Parkinson-White patients.
Keywords :
supraventricular tachycardia, transesophageal electrophysiologic study,electrophysiologic study.