[Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (eCPR) for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) : Retrospective analysis of a load and go strategy under the aspect of golden hour of eCPR].

Background: Survival rates after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remain low. Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (eCPR) has been introduced as an attempt to increase survival in selected patients and observational studies have shown promising results. Nevertheless, inclusion criteria and timing of eCPR remain undefined.

Effectiveness of a percutaneous left ventricular assist device in preventing acute hemodynamic decompensation during catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia in advanced heart failure patients: A retrospective single-center analysis.

Introduction: Acute hemodynamic decompensation during catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia is associated with increased mortality. We assessed the effectiveness of mechanical circulatory support using a micro-axial percutaneous assist device in preventing acute hemodynamic decompensation.

Methods And Results: Twenty-six consecutive patients with structural heart disease undergoing 28 ventricular tachycardia ablations between May 2013 and October 2017 were included.

Interdisciplinary consensus on indications for transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TF-TAVI) : Joint Consensus Document of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Leitende Kardiologische Krankenhausärzte e.V. (ALKK) and cooperating Cardiac Surgery Departments.

Indications for TF-TAVI (transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation) are rapidly changing according to increasing evidence from randomized controlled trials. Present trials document the non-inferiority or even superiority of TF-TAVI in intermediate-risk patients (STS-Score 4-8%) as well as in low-risk patients (STS-Score < 4%). However, risk scores exhibit limitations and, as a single criterion, are unable to establish an appropriate indication of TF-TAVI vs transapical TAVI vs SAVR (surgical aortic valve replacement).

[Necrotizing esophagitis by stress-cardiomyopathy with right ventricular insufficiency].

Acute necrotizing esophagitis ("black esophagus") is defined as complete necrosis of the esophageal mucosa, which typically affects the entire circumference. We report a case of a healthy 62-year-old woman, who became hemodynamically unstable due to stress cardiomyopathy with acute right heart failure. Transfusion-dependent anemia occurred 24 h later and an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a black discoloured mucosa of the distal esophagus.

[ICD therapy in the primary prevention of sudden cardiac death: Risk stratification and patient selection].

Without the concept of primary prevention of sudden cardiac death, therapy with implantable defibrillators would not have reached the current distribution and clinical importance. Most of the scientific evidence of the concept is based on clinical studies from 1996-2005. More than 75 % of all defibrillator implantations are currently indicated as primary prevention.

Variations of heart rate variability parameters prior to the onset of ventricular tachyarrhythmia and sinus tachycardia in ICD patients. Results from the heart rate variability analysis with automated ICDs (HAWAI) registry.

The HAWAI registry evaluated the role of heart rate variability in predicting the occurrence of ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation (VT/VF) and sinus tachycardia in patients with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (45 patients with 155 RR recordings). A significant decrease of the mean value of all RR intervals (MeanNN) was observed in the period starting 20 and 40 min prior to VT/VF and sinus tachycardia, respectively. The standard deviation of RR intervals (SDNN) and the power at low frequency (LF) were the only parameters with significant changes prior to VT/VF.

Left atrial appendage closure with the Amplatzer™ Cardiac Plug: Rationale for a higher degree of device oversizing at implantation.

Background: In left atrial appendage (LAA) closure, the correct sizing of the implantable devices is crucial. Data on the time-dependent changes in the shape and positioning of LAA occlusion devices are missing. We analyzed the results of 33 consecutive patients after implantation of an Amplatzer™ Cardiac Plug (ACP) LAA closure device to get more information on the optimal device sizing during implantation.

Emergent surgical pulmonary embolectomy in a pregnant woman: case report and literature review.

Acute pulmonary embolism is a leading cause of death during pregnancy and delivery in the United States. We describe the case of a 25-year-old woman who presented in cardiogenic shock in week 38 of her first pregnancy. After the emergent cesarean delivery of a healthy male neonate, the mother underwent immediate surgical pulmonary embolectomy.

[A rare cause of syncope in a patient treated with the TASH procedure].

In patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HOCM), the decision for an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) depends highly on the exact identification of the etiology of syncope. In this article, the case of a patient with HOCM and syncope is reported. Invasive pressure measurement was used to diagnose a typical case of cough syncope as the cause of the syncope.

[ICD lead defects: diagnosis and therapeutical options].

The number of cardioverter/defibrillator (ICD) implantations has been steadily increasing; thus, ICD lead-associated complications are an important issue. No clear recommendations for the diagnosis and management are available. This article gives an overview of how to diagnose and manage an ICD lead defect.