ABSTRACT
From a practical point of view, all pediatric patients require moderate to deep sedation or general anesthesia (GA) to facilitate successful performance of electrophysiologic (EP) procedures. Ideally the sedation or anesthesia plan should ensure patient comfort and safety, and limit movement. In addition, the agents administered should have a minimal effect on the ability of the electrophysiologist to accurately map and definitively ablate the arrhythmic foci. In infants and young children, or older children and young adults with psychological or behavioral limitations, this generally requires GA. Moderate to deep sedation may be appropriate for older more cooperative patients.
