Sirolimus-eluting stents in the treatment of chronic total coronary occlusions: results from the prospective multi-center German Cypher Stent Registry.

Objectives: We assessed the effectiveness and safety of the sirolimus-eluting stent (SES) in the treatment of chronic total coronary occlusions.

Background: Chronic total occlusions (CTO) of coronary vessels have an unacceptable high restenosis rate of approximately 50% after stenting. Few data exist about the performance of drug eluting stents (DES) in the treatment of CTO.

[A 70-year-old man with multiple injuries after a road accident: syncope with large right atrial tumour].

Anamnesis: A 70-year old man caused a road accident without evidence for outer influence. He suffered from multiple injuries. An unstable chest required long-term mechanical ventilation.

Proarrhythmic effect of pacemaker stimulation in patients with implanted cardioverter-defibrillators.

Background: We sought to determine the potential of right ventricular VVI backup pacing to induce ventricular tachyarrhythmias in patients with implanted cardioverter-defibrillators.

Methods And Results: All consecutive patients presenting exclusively with pacemaker-induced tachycardias (PITs) were included in a prospective study using a crossover protocol. Patients were randomized to either group 1 (augmentation of the baseline frequency of the pacemaker to 60 bpm) or group 2 (pacemaker turned off) and were followed up for 1 year and then crossed over to the other programming, looking for reoccurrence of PIT.

How can we identify the best implantation site for an ECG event recorder?

The aim of this study was to show how to find the preferable implantation site for an ECG event recorder (ECG-ER). We compared the quality of bipolar ECG recordings (4-cm electrode distance, vertical position) in 65 patients at the following sites: left and right subclavicular, left and right anterior axillary line (4th-5th interspace), left and right of the sternum (4th-5th interspace), heart apex, and subxyphoidal. The results were compared to the standard ECG lead II.

[Hidden intracardiac conduction disturbances and their spontaneous course in patients with progressive muscular dystrophy].

In patients with progressive muscular dystrophy (PMD) invasive electrophysiologic studies can detect hidden intracardiac conduction disturbances. The aim of this study was a long-term follow-up of these patients. Twelve consecutive patients (9 m, 3 f, age 28 +/- 4 yrs) without cardiac symptoms and with normal echocardiographic findings were included in the study.