Re-staging and follow-up of rectal cancer patients with MR imaging when "Watch-and-Wait" is an option: a practical guide.

In the past nearly 20 years, organ-sparing when no apparent viable tumour is present after neoadjuvant therapy has taken an increasingly relevant role in the therapeutic management of locally-advanced rectal cancer patients. The decision to include a patient or not in a "Watch-and-Wait" program relies mainly on endoscopic assessment by skilled surgeons, and MR imaging by experienced radiologists. Strict surveillance using the same modalities is required, given the chance of a local regrowth is of approximately 25-30%, almost always surgically salvageable if caught early.

Brugada syndrome: Eligibility for subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator after exercise stress test.

Introduction: Brugada syndrome (BrS) is a channelopathy associated with ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. In patients at high risk of sudden death, an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator is indicated. Subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (S-ICDs) are an alternative to transvenous systems, with reduced risk of infection and complications associated with system extraction or explantation.

Importance of cardiac implantable eletronic devices in the diagnosis of Sleep Apnea Syndrome.

Introduction: Sleep Apnea Syndrome (SAS) is a prevalent respiratory disease with marked expression in the population with cardiovascular disease. The diagnosis is based on polysomnography. In patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED), the prevalence of SAS may reach 60%.

RIVER: Portuguese registry to monitor unnecessary right ventricular pacing.

The aim of this prospective registry is to evaluate a new algorithm designed to reduce the percentage of unnecessary ventricular pacing (%VP) in patients implanted with a dual-chamber pacemaker, through a dedicated pacing mode (called AAISafeR2) operating in AAI mode with back-up ventricular pacing in DDD mode, and to describe the incidence and distribution of atrioventricular (AV) block in this population. Investigators were free to assign patients to AAISafeR2 mode or to standard DDD (if AAISafeR was contraindicated, mainly due to permanent high-degree AV block). Patients underwent routine follow-up visits at 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months after implantation.