Surgical treatment of the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome in children.

From 1986 to 1989, seven children ranging in age from 5 months to 16 years underwent surgical treatment for the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome at the Shiga University of Medical Science. None of the patients had any other associated congenital heart disease. There was a right free wall accessory pathway in four patients and a left free wall accessory pathway in three. Surgical ablation of these accessory pathways was performed on eight occasions, using the endocardial approach three times and the epicardial approach five. All the children are alive and none has since had episodes of tachycardia. Only one patient had a recurrent delta wave, which was noted 18 months after the operation. Surgical ablation of the accessory pathway for the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome can be performed safely, even in infants and children; it is concluded that this useful procedure is capable of improving a patient's quality of life.