Transcatheter ablation of arrhythmias associated with congenital heart disease

The improvement of surgical techniques resulted in significant life prolongation of many young patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). However, as these patients reach adulthood, their risk for late complications associated with surgery is also increased. One of the most difficult challenges associated with CHD is the high incidence of cardiac arrhythmias that arise from either the myocardial substrate created by abnormal physiology (pressure/volume changes, septal patches, and suture lines) or the presence of surgical scar. Catheter ablation is proven to be effective in treating atrial and ventricular arrhythmias in structurally normal hearts, and has also been used to treat arrhythmias in adults with congenital heart disease. In this review we provide an overview about diagnostic challenges, mapping and ablation techniques and outcome of patients undergoing transcatheter ablation procedures.