Conscious sedation during subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator implantation using the intermuscular technique.

Background: The subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (S-ICD) system is an established therapy for the prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD) and an alternative to a transvenous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) system in selected patients. S-ICDs are usually implanted under general anesthesia. The purpose of the present study was to describe the technical feasibility and safety of local anesthesia with conscious sedation as an alternative to general anesthesia during S-ICD implantation using the intermuscular technique.

[Journey of the S‑ICD to first-line therapy].

The subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (S-ICD®, Boston Scientific, Marlborough, MA, USA, previously Cameron Health, San Clemente, CA, USA) represents an important milestone in ICD therapy for prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD). Since the introduction of the S‑ICD in 2010, the device has undergone further development. Based on the unique feature of an entirely extracardiac implantation, the S‑ICD is able to reduce the common perioperative and long-term complications of the usual endovascular implanted ICD systems.

Feasibility and safety of using local anaesthesia with conscious sedation during complex cardiac implantable electronic device procedures.

We assessed the feasibility and safety of using local anaesthesia with conscious sedation as an alternative to general anaesthesia during complex and noncomplex cardiac implantable device procedures. We enrolled 279 consecutive patients who underwent cardiac device implantation/replacement at our tertiary/quaternary cardiac specialist hospital during a 17-month study period. Continuous combined intravenous conscious sedation with propofol and midazolam plus fentanyl and local anaesthesia were used for all procedures.

Pulsed electron avalanche knife (PEAK) PlasmaBlade™ in pacemaker and defibrillator procedures.

Background: The pulsed electron avalanche knife (PEAK) PlasmaBlade™ is an innovative electrosurgical device that uses a novel technology to cut tissues. It has been proven to be safe and feasible in ear, nose, and throat surgery, but there are only limited data concerning the use of PlasmaBlade™ instead of conventional electrocautery in cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) procedures except for generator replacements.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective, single-center study with patients undergoing CIED surgery at our center between December 2015 and March 2017 and evaluate the feasibility and the clinical outcome of the PlasmaBlade™.

[ECG changes in primary neurological disorders, systemic diseases and primary cardioymopathies].

ECG diagnostic is not only an easy to use, cost efficient, extensively available method for cardiological patients, but also a potential tool in diagnostic for other morbidities. As a well-known example, cerebral hemorrhage and ischemia can show an ECG, that resembles an acute coronary syndrome. Furthermore systemic diseases may show characteristic ECG; often as a malfunction of the conductive system (e.

[Atrial fibrillation : new anticoagulants and antiarrhythmic drugs].

Atrial fibrillation is the most common form of arrhythmia and one of the most frequent causes of ischemic stroke. Several new anticoagulants have recently been introduced as alternatives to vitamin-K antagonists for prophylaxis of ischemic stroke and tested in phase-3 studies for efficacy and safety. Identifying patients who will profit in particular from the new anticoagulant therapy is crucial to the clinical application of these drugs.

Impact of chronic kidney disease on the prognosis of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions using drug-eluting stents.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has an adverse impact on survival of patients with coronary artery disease and is associated with poor outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Although small randomized, controlled clinical trials showed a reduced target vessel revascularization rate and a good safety profile for sirolimus-eluting coronary stents (SES), safety data need to be confirmed in clinical practice. Therefore, the data of the German DES.

Cryopreservation of redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) in vitro buds using vitrification-based techniques.

In this study, the efficiency of three vitrification-based cryopreservation techniques, i.e. vitrification, encapsulation-vitrification and droplet-vitrification were compared for cryopreserving Sequoia sempervirens apical and basal buds sampled from in vitro shoot cultures.