The utility of combining continuous wavelet transform analysis and high-density voltage map in predicting the long-term outcomes after ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation.

Background: Continuous wavelet transform (CWT) analysis is a frequency analysis to detect areas of stable high-frequent activity (stable pseudo frequency [sPF]) during atrial fibrillation (AF). As previously reported, patients with the highest sPF area in pulmonary veins (PV) showed better short-term outcomes after PV isolation (PVI). This study sought to evaluate the efficacy of CWT analysis in predicting the long-term (2 years) outcomes after PVI.

Features Suggesting Preferential Conduction in Pulmonary Artery Ventricular Arrhythmia for Identification of Successful Ablation Sites.

Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) for pulmonary artery ventricular arrhythmia (PAVA) can be difficult because of the occasional existence of PAVA with preferential conduction.This study described the characteristics of PAVA that demonstrate preferential conduction.We analyzed electrocardiographic and electrophysiological data from 8 patients found to have PAVAs with preferential conduction out of 183 patients (4.

Clinical Significance and Prognosis of Right Heart Thrombi Associated With Acute Pulmonary Thromboembolism - Results of a Multicenter Registry of Thrombolysis in Japan.

Background: Thrombolytic therapy is standard treatment in acute pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) with hemodynamic instability. Although right heart thrombi (RHT) appear to increase mortality in acute PTE, large-scale studies of acute PTE with RHT are scarce.

Methods and results: Patient data (from August 2005 to May 2014) obtained from post-marketing surveillance of thrombolytic therapy using a tissue-type plasminogen activator were analyzed retrospectively.

Perforation of the hypopharynx after transesophageal echocardiography.

A 65-year-old obese woman with an oversized neck and dysphagia underwent transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). The procedure was complicated by difficulty in insertion from the pharynx to esophagus, and her head and neck gradually swelled. Computed tomography (CT) revealed extensive emphysema from the neck to superior mediastinum, which suggested pharyngeal perforation.

Evaluating microvascular obstruction after acute myocardial infarction using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and 201-thallium and 99m-technetium pyrophosphate scintigraphy.

Background: Few studies have compared the ability of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) with that of scintigraphy using 201-thallium (201-Tl) and 99m-technetium pyrophosphate (99m-Tc PYP) to evaluate microvascular obstructions (MOs). In the present study the relationship between the scintigraphic and CMR characteristics of MOs after acute myocardial infarction (MI) was examined.

Methods And Results: The 14 patients (age 69±8 years, 11 males) underwent 201-Tl/99m-Tc PYP SPECT 7±3 days, initial CMR 16±12 days, and follow-up CMR 193±20 days after a reperfused first acute MI.