Anatomical Substrates and Ablation of Reentrant Atrial and Ventricular Tachycardias in Repaired Congenital Heart Disease

Abstract

Advances in surgical repair techniques for various types of congenital heart disease have improved survival into adulthood over the past decades, thus exposing these patients to a high risk of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias later in life. These arrhythmias arise from complex arrhythmogenic substrates. Substrate formation may depend on both pathological myocardial remodelling and variable anatomical boundaries, determined by the type and timing of prior corrective surgery. Accordingly, arrhythmogenic substrates after repair have changed as a result of evolving surgical techniques. Radiofrequency catheter ablation offers an important therapeutic option but remains challenging due to the variable anatomy, surgically created obstacles and the complex arrhythmogenic substrates. Recent technical developments including electroanatomical mapping and image integration for delineating the anatomy facilitate complex catheter ablation procedures. The purpose of this review is to provide an update on the changing anatomical arrhythmogenic substrates and their potential impact on catheter ablation in patients with repaired congenital heart disease and tachyarrhythmias.