Surveillance of esophageal injury after atrial fibrillation catheter ablation.

Aims: Atrial-esophageal fistula following ablation procedures for atrial fibrillation (AF) remains a major concern. There is no standardized approach to minimize the risk and morbidity of this serious complication. The objective of this study was to present the 7-year experience of systematic endoscopic surveillance of esophageal injury after AF catheter ablation.

Myocardial Injury Progression after Radiofrequency Ablation in School-Age Children.

Background: The past decades have seen the rapid development of the invasive treatment of arrhythmias by catheter ablation procedures. Despite its safety and efficacy being well-established in adults, to date there has been little data in pediatric scenarios. One of the main concerns is the possible expansion of the ablation procedure scar in this population and its consequences over the years.

Bipolar radiofrequency ablation of septal ventricular tachycardia in a patient with dilated cardiomyopathy using two 8-mm tip catheters-case report.

Septal ventricular tachycardias exhibit high recurrence rates after radiofrequency ablation, which is mainly attributed to the deep intramyocardial circuits and the inability to create transmural lesions with the conventional unipolar ablation. Bipolar radiofrequency ablation is feasible and it has been reported as a valid technique in these cases, leading to deeper lesion formation, high non-inducibility rates, and acceptable recurrence rates during follow-up. Our goal is to report a successful case of bipolar ablation of a septal ventricular tachycardia using a simple bipolar ablation configuration with two 8-mm tip catheters.

Peculiar Aspects of Patients with Inherited Arrhythmias during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Since December 2019 we have observed the rapid advance of the severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). The impact of the clinical course of a respiratory infection is little known in patients with hereditary arrhythmias, due to the low prevalence of these diseases. Patients who present with infectious conditions may exacerbate hidden or well-controlled primary arrhythmias, due to several factors, such as fever, electrolyte disturbances, drug interactions, adrenergic stress and, eventually, the septic patient's own myocardial damage.

Recommendations for the Post-Mortem Management of Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices.

The management of cardiac implantable electronic devices after death has become a source of controversy. There are no uniform recommendations for such management in Brazil; practices rely exclusively on institutional protocols and regional custom. When the cadaver is sent for cremation, it is recommended to remove the device due to the risk of explosion and damage to crematorium equipment, in addition to other precautions.