No abstract

Patients with CCTGA are increasingly subject to CHF with advancing age; this complication is extremely common by the fourth and fifth decades. Tricuspid (systemic atrioventricular) valvular regurgitation is strongly associated with RV (anatomical right ventricle connected to aorta in CCTGA patients; systemic ventricle in CCTGA) dysfunction and CHF; whether it is causative or a secondary complication remains speculative.

No abstract

Patient selection strategies to optimize radiofrequency ablation outcomes in children, which have been based on the previously published Registry data, should be reconsidered in light of these new, updated data. The lack of uniform improvement provides the impetus for further research and development of new approaches and technologic advances so that further improvement can be achieved.

No abstract

These early results suggest that radio-frequency catheter ablation has a good success rate and a low complication rate in pediatric patients, especially when it is carried out in experienced pediatric cardiology centers.

The appearance of 2:1 atrioventricular block, multiform premature ventricular contractions, and torsade de pointes are relatively more common in children with LQTS than other children and should raise the index of suspicion for LQTS. Because 9% of patients presented with cardiac arrest and no preceding symptoms, perhaps prophylactic treatment in asymptomatic children is indicated. Asymptomatic patients with normal QTc and positive family history may be a low-risk group. Patients with QTc of more than 0.60 are at particularly high risk for sudden death, and if treatment is not effective, consideration should be given to cardiac sympathetic denervation, pacemaker implantation, and perhaps implantation of a defibrillator.

; Associates in Process Improvement, Austin, TX (L.P.); and The James M.