Isolation of pulmonary veins using a thermoreactive implantable device with external energy transfer: Evaluation in a porcine model.

Background: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is a well-established method for the treatment of symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, but is only partly successful with a high rate of electrical reconnection. We introduce a novel technique in which PVI is accomplished by noninvasive heating of a dedicated thermoresponse implant inserted into the pulmonary veins (PV), demonstrated in a porcine model.

Methods: A self-expanding nitinol-based implant was positioned in the common inferior PV of 11 pigs, using a fluoroscopy-guided transatrial appendage approach.

A preliminary study of pulmonary vein implant applicability and safety as a potential ablation platform in a follow-up study in pigs.

Background: Recurrence of atrial fibrillation after an ablation procedure remains a major problem which emphasizes the need for improved pulmonary vein isolation techniques.

Aims: The aim of this study was to describe an implantation procedure of a pulmonary vein-stent which may possibly serve as an ablation technique in the future and to examine stent safety in a follow-up study in pigs.

Methods And Results: Eight pigs were catheterized and nine self-expanding nitinol stents were implanted through a transfemoral or transatrial approach into the antra of the pulmonary veins.

A Preclinical Study of an Implanted Device in the Pulmonary Veins, Intended for the Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation in an Ovine Model.

Background: Atrial fibrillation is the most frequent arrhythmia in adults of which the interventional cure is hampered by high recurrence rates. Recurrence after ablation is due to an incomplete isolation of the pulmonary veins. A new ablation technique was performed, in the antra of ovine pulmonary veins, by device implantation, which was heated through a wireless heat-generating system.

Incidence and potential mechanism of resolved, persistent and newly acquired malapposition three days after implantation of self-expanding or balloon-expandable stents in a STEMI population: insights from optical coherence tomography in the APPOSITION II study.

Aims: The aim of the current study was to investigate the frequency and mechanisms of sequential incomplete stent apposition (ISA) changes such as persistent, resolved or newly acquired ISA during the first three days after primary PCI (pPCI) in a matched segment-level analysis, with the comparison between self-expanding and balloon-expandable stents assessed by optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Methods And Results: The current analysis is a substudy of the APPOSITION II study that included 69 patients (self-expanding: 35, balloon-expandable: 34) using serial optical coherence tomography (OCT) post procedure and three days after pPCI. In order to evaluate a temporal change in ISA, stented regions were segmented using fiduciary landmarks.

Iatrogenic left main coronary artery dissection and intramural hematoma caused by diagnostic transradial cardiac catheterization.

The growing use of the transradial approach for percutaneous coronary interventions has been shown to decrease the risk of major vascular complications. However, in this case report we describe a iatrogenic left main dissection during diagnostic coronary catheterization, which remains a rare, but still life-threatening condition. The adjunctive use of intravascular ultrasound may assist in the accurate diagnosis and treatment process.