The clinical efficacy of slow-pathway ablation in patients with spontaneous atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia but without inducible tachycardia

Objective The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical efficacy of radiofrequency ablation of the slow pathway in patients with documented atrioventricular nodal dual pathways but noninducible atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT).Methods Sixty one patients with clinically documented AVNRT were divided into two groups,and the tachycardia could not be induced during the electrophysiological study despite the presence of dual AV nodal pathway .Patients in group A did not undergo slow pathway ablation after electrophysiological study and slow pathway ablation was performed on those who had AVNRT recurrence during follow up.In 31 patients of group B,slow pathway ablation was performed in the same session of electrophysiological study.Results Clinical follow up was completed in 24 of group A patients and 27 of group B patients.All of the 24 patients in group A experienced AVNRT recurrence within 1 year and received slow pathway ablation.During 1 year follow up after the ablation procedure,AVNRT recurrence was observed in 1 of the 24 patients (4.2%).In group B,AVNRT recurrence was only identified in 1 of the 27 patients (3.7%) during two years' follow up.Conclusions Slow pathway ablation with radiofrequency is highly effective in patients with clinically documented AVNRT and dual AV nodal pathway during electrophysiological study but without inducible tachycardia.