Key result
Catheter ablation normalizes cardiac function in infants with refractory pathway-mediated arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy.
Why the study?
RFCA is established for paediatric arrhythmias in children weighing >15 kg, but its role in infants with arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy remains less defined.
Does radiofrequency catheter ablation improve cardiac function and size in infants with medically refractory, right-sided pathway-mediated, arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy?
Case Report (n=4)
Does radiofrequency catheter ablation improve cardiac function and size in infants with medically refractory, right-sided pathway-mediated, arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy?
Radiofrequency catheter ablation is safe and highly effective in treating medically refractory arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy secondary to right-sided accessory pathways in infants under 1 year of age, enabling rapid normalization of ventricular function.
May support RFCA consideration in select refractory infant cases; leaves open need for prospective validation before practice change.
Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) is an established treatment for paediatric arrhythmias in children weighing >15 kg, yet its role in infants with arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy remains less defined. This case series evaluates the efficacy and safety of RFCA in four infants (aged ≤1 year) with arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy through a retrospective review of clinical profiles, procedural data and outcomes. All patients had right-sided accessory pathways, with three showing atrioventricular re-entrant tachycardia and one pre-excitation-related cardiomyopathy. Each infant had failed pharmacotherapy, and presented with heart failure and cardiac enlargement. RFCA was successfully performed in all cases without complications. Within 1-6 months postprocedure, both cardiac function and size normalised in every patient. These findings support RFCA as a safe and effective treatment for medically refractory, right-sided, pathway-mediated, arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy in infants, highlighting its potential for complete functional recovery.
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Li et al. (2026) conducted a case report in Arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy (n=4). Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) was evaluated on Normalization of cardiac function and size. Radiofrequency catheter ablation safely and successfully treated all four infants with medically refractory, right-sided pathway-mediated arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy, leading to complete normalization of cardiac function.
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