Ablation of supraventricular tachycardia in a 96 year old

Atrioventricular nodal re-entrant tachycardia (AVNRT) is a common arrhythmia that is frequently encountered in clinical practice. Though more common in the younger population, it affects individuals of all ages. The elderly in particular are usually more symptomatic and more frequently require emergency treatment including urgent hospital admissions. We report on a 96-year-old lady who presented with troublesome supraventricular tachycardia that was difficult to control with drug treatment. Electrophysiologic testing revealed AVNRT that was ablated successfully using the standard technique with no complications. She continued to do well at follow-up 1 month after the ablation. This case highlights the need to routinely offer this highly effective technique as the first-line treatment to the elderly along the same indications as those commonly observed among younger patients.