Electrophysiology Program

Inova Children’s Heart Center’s electrophysiology program provides a full range of diagnostic and treatment options for children and teens with known or suspected heart rhythm problems. Our center has one of the largest pediatric and adult congenital electrophysiology programs in the mid-Atlantic region, handling more than 250 cases each year with a 97% success rate for all ablation procedures. Our advanced technology, including electrophysiology studies, 3D mapping, and integration of multimodal MRI and CT imaging. All of these contemporary modalities allow us to precisely diagnose and treat complex arrhythmias from the neonate to the adult with congenital heart disease.

Inova's comprehensive pediatric electrophysiology services include:

Fetal arrhythmia monitoring

Our electrophysiology team works closely with Inova’s obstetricians, maternal-fetal medicine specialists, cardiologists, and neonatologists to monitor fetuses with arrhythmias (heart rhythm problems) like supraventricular tachycardia and ventricular tachycardia. In collaboration with Inova Schar Heart and Vascular’s Cardiovascular Genetics Program, we can now detect hereditary arrhythmias, such as long QT syndrome, in utero and provide timely treatment.

Pacemakers and defibrillators

Inova Children’s Heart Center’s electrophysiology team follows more than 450 children and young adults who have implantable loop recorders, pacemakers, and defibrillators. Transvenous pacemakers and defibrillators are implanted in our new state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization lab, and children recover overnight in our acute care cardiac unit. We monitor all of our patients through a combination of in-office visits and convenient home-based monitoring. This remote monitoring also allows our team to follow our young adults who may be away at college.

Working together, our pediatric ectrophysiologists have successfully performed very complex cardiac resynchronization therapies, including conduction system pacing, in both our pediatric and adult congenital heart disease patients to improve ventricular function This often helps patients avoid needing a heart transplant and can greatly improve their heart function.

Ablation therapy for arrhythmias

Patients may develop supraventricular or ventricular arrhythmias. While medical management may be considered initially, catheter ablation can often be used as a definitive treatment plan. We use the latest 3-dimensional mapping technology coupled with all energy modality deliveries to treat supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias. All ablation procedures are done in our newly renovated biplane electrophysiology lab. All of this advanced mapping allows us find the arrhythmia substrate. Advanced automation, MRI/CT integration, flexible impedance fields, and precise magnetic fields also help make the procedures faster and often can be done with near zero radiation exposure.

In 2024, we had a 97% success rate for children with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and all types of supraventricular arrhythmias and >95% success rate for ventricular arrhythmias. Many children who used to need chronic antiarrhythmic medication and had activity limits can now safely participate in all activities without any medication.

Our EP team also has one of the largest ACHD-EP programs in the mid-Atlantic region. Dr. Cohen is one of the few pediatric EP and ACHD board-certified physicians in the region with more than 25 years’ experience ablating adults with complex CHD and complex arrhythmias.

Genetic heart disease

Inova Children’s Heart Center is well-equipped to evaluate and treat families with genetic heart disease. Our multidisciplinary team includes both adult and pediatric cardiologists and dedicated pediatric genetic counselors. We follow children, parents, siblings, and extended family members with inherited life-threatening and rare arrhythmias, as well as cardiomyopathies. This joint program, which connects the pediatric and adult heart centers at Inova, provides care for families across generations. We provide the latest technology to discover your family’s genetic risk with genetic sequencing and whole exome testing. We can now tailor your genetic condition with the latest update genotype specific therapy.

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) prevention program

We promote community awareness to help identify children at risk of sudden life-threatening events. We have hosted seminars to educate pediatricians, family practitioners, and other providers about the risk factors and early warning signs of sudden cardiac death. In 2024, our team donated >40 AEDs to the Fairfax Community sports fields in collaboration with the Fairfax Fire Department.

Research

The electrophysiology program is active in several national multicenter studies focused on hereditary arrhythmias and long-term follow-up of arrhythmias in adults with congenital heart disease. The electrophysiology team collectively has more than 175 publications and presents at five to ten conferences each year nationally and internationally.