• Mi Kyoung Song, Eun Jung Bae, Bo Sang Kwon, Gi Beom Kim, Chung Il Noh, Jung Yun Choi, Woong Han Kim, Jeong Ryul Lee, and Yong Jin Kim.
• Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Children's Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
• Int. J. Cardiol. 2015 Jan 1; 187: 157-63.

BackgroundAtrial tachyarrhythmia is a major late complication in adult Fontan patients. This study examined the clinical features and risk factors of late intra-atrial reentrant tachyarrhythmia (IART) in adult patients after Fontan surgery and the mid-term outcome of Fontan conversion with or without antiarrhythmic surgery in these patients.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective study on adult patients who were born before 1994 and survived at least 3 months after a Fontan operation at Seoul National University Children's Hospital.ResultsWe followed 160 patients over 20.9 ± 4.1 years. Sustained atrial tachycardia was identified in 51 patients, and IART was found in 41, appearing a mean 13.6 years after surgery. By the 25 year follow-up, 40% had developed IART. The incidence of IART significantly increased over time. Patients with an atriopulmonary connection (APC) (n=65) had significantly longer follow-up duration and higher incidence of IART than patients with a lateral tunnel (n=86) or extracardiac conduit Fontan (n=9). On multivariate analysis, APC, sinus node dysfunction, and nonsustained atrial tachycardia were found to be significantly associated with IART. Twenty-four patients with IART underwent Fontan conversion. Over the follow-up period, IART severity scores in the 22 patients who survived after Fontan conversion decreased significantly, and New York Heart Association functional class significantly improved. On multivariate analysis, protein losing enteropathy and ventricular dysfunction were found to be significant risk factors for mortality.ConclusionsIART was common in adult Fontan patients, and Fontan conversion with or without antiarrhythmic surgery and pacemaker placement helped to control it.Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

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