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Mayo Clinic is internationally recognized for its expertise in the treatment of Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome, in which the heart beats rapidly because of abnormal, extra electrical pathways between the heart's upper and lower chambers.
Mayo Clinic has expertise and extensive experience in the most advanced treatments for patients who have Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and treats thousands of patients with WPW syndrome each year, including infants, children and adults of all ages.
Mayo Clinic is an international leader in the two treatments that can cure WPW syndrome: open-heart surgery and catheter ablation. Mayo has over 25 years of experience in using atrial fibrillation ablation to treat patients who have various heart arrhythmias. Over 10,000 electrophysiology procedures have been performed during the past six years.
For patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, the medical team at Mayo Clinic is led by electrophysiologists. These are cardiologists (medical experts in heart care) with specialized training in the diagnosis and treatment of heart rhythm disorders, including diagnoses of heartbeat problems in infants and children. Diagnosis often includes electrophysiologic testing. Read more about Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome diagnosis.
The decision for medical treatment, and the method selected, can be made only after a comprehensive diagnosis. The Mayo Clinic model of care emphasizes an integrated, collaborative team approach to provide the best possible care for each patient. This model means the patient's case is examined from the perspectives of highly subspecialized medical experts, who collaborate to determine the most accurate diagnosis and the most effective treatment.
The most common treatment options for Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome are medications and procedures to remove the abnormal extra electrical heart pathway through open-heart surgery or a less-invasive procedure, catheter radiofrequency ablation.
Follow-up care for patients is another essential component of Mayo Clinic's care for heart arrhythmia. Read more about Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome treatment options.
Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome describes when the heart beats rapidly as a result of abnormal, extra electrical pathways between the heart's two upper chambers (atria) and two lower chambers (ventricles).
Why the extra electrical pathways develop in the heart is not known. In some cases, WPW syndrome is present at birth, and WPW syndrome is the most common heartbeat disorder among infants and children. But WPW can occur at any age and develops symptoms more frequently among adults, usually between ages 30 and 40. More males than females are affected.
Read more about Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and other heart arrhythmias at
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Cardiac specialists at all three Mayo Clinic locations specialize in diagnosing and treating disorders of the heart, treating thousands of patients yearly. Learn more about heart care at Mayo Clinic.
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