Atrioesophageal Fistula Rates Before and After Adoption of Active Esophageal Cooling During Atrial Fibrillation Ablation.

Background: Active esophageal cooling reduces the incidence of endoscopically identified severe esophageal lesions during radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation of the left atrium for the treatment of atrial fibrillation. A formal analysis of the atrioesophageal fistula (AEF) rate with active esophageal cooling has not previously been performed.

Objectives: The authors aimed to compare AEF rates before and after the adoption of active esophageal cooling.

Confirming pericardial access by using impedance measurements from a micropuncture needle.

Background: Pericardial access is complicated by two difficulties: confirming when the needle tip is in the pericardial space, and avoiding complications during access, such as inadvertently puncturing other organs. Conventional imaging tools are inadequate for addressing these difficulties, as they lack soft-tissue markers that could be used as guidance during access. A system that can both confirm access and avoid inadvertent organ injury is needed.

Slow-pathway visualization by using voltage-time relationship: A novel technique for identification and fluoroless ablation of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia.

Background: Atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) is treatable by catheter ablation. Advances in mapping-system technology permit fluoroless workflow during ablations. As national practice trends toward fluoroless approaches, easily obtained, reproducible methods of slow-pathway identification, and ablation become increasingly important.

Author Correction: Synchronized Biventricular Heart Pacing in a Closed-chest Porcine Model based on Wirelessly Powered Leadless Pacemakers.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Synchronized Biventricular Heart Pacing in a Closed-chest Porcine Model based on Wirelessly Powered Leadless Pacemakers.

About 30% of patients with impaired cardiac function have ventricular dyssynchrony and seek cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). In this study, we demonstrate synchronized biventricular (BiV) pacing in a leadless fashion by implementing miniaturized and wirelessly powered pacemakers. With their flexible form factors, two pacemakers were implanted epicardially on the right and left ventricles of a porcine model and were inductively powered at 13.

Isolated hemopericardium after initiation of rivaroxaban: Implications and potential mechanisms.

Direct oral anticoagulants have become increasingly used for atrial fibrillation and venothromboembolic disease. Thus far, there have been a few published cases of pericardial effusion associated with rivaroxban. However, there has been little published regarding the effects of concurrent medications and their effect on the cytochrome enzyme systems involved in rivaroxaban metabolism.

A Multi-site Heart Pacing Study Using Wirelessly Powered Leadless Pacemakers.

In this work, we report an energy-efficient switched capacitor based millimeter-scale pacemaker (5 mm ×7.5 mm) and a multi-receiver wireless energy transfer system operating at around 200 MHz, and use them in a proof-of-concept multi-site heart pacing study. Two pacemakers were placed on two beating Langendorff rodent heart models separately.

Leadless multisite pacing: A feasibility study using wireless power transfer based on Langendorff rodent heart models.

Introduction: Fifteen to thirty percent of patients with impaired cardiac function have ventricular dyssynchrony and warrant cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). While leadless pacemakers eliminate lead-related complications, their current form factor is limited to single-chamber pacing. In this study, we demonstrate the feasibility of multisite, simultaneous pacing using miniaturized pacing nodes powered through wireless power transfer (WPT).

Incidence, Predictors, and Significance of Ventricular Arrhythmias in Patients With Continuous-Flow Left Ventricular Assist Devices: A 15-Year Institutional Experience.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence, predictors, and associated mortality of pre-implantation, early, and late ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) in patients receiving continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (CFLVADs).

Background: VAs are common both pre- and post-implantation of left ventricular assist devices. Limited data exist on their prognostic impact in contemporary CFLVADs.

Near-field impedance accurately distinguishes among pericardial, intracavitary, and anterior mediastinal position.

Introduction: Epicardial catheter ablation is increasingly used to treat arrhythmias with an epicardial component. Nevertheless, percutaneous epicardial access remains associated with a significant risk of major complications. Developing a technology capable of confirming proper placement within the pericardial space could decrease complication rates.