Incidence and characteristics of silent cerebral embolisms after radiofrequency-based atrial fibrillation ablation: A propensity score-matched analysis between different mapping catheters and indices for guiding ablation.

Introduction: The difference in the incidence and characteristics of silent cerebral events (SCEs) after radiofrequency-based atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation between the different mapping catheters and indices used for guiding radiofrequency ablation remains unclear. This study aimed to compare the incidence and characteristics of postablation SCEs between the following two groups: Group C, Ablation Index-guided ablation using two circular mapping catheters with CARTO (Biosense Webster); Group R, local impedance-guided ablation using one mini-basket catheter and one circular mapping with Rhythmia (Boston Scientific).

Methods And Results: Of 211 consecutive patients who underwent an AF ablation and brain magnetic resonance (MR) imaging after the ablation, 120 patients (each group, n = 60) were selected by propensity score matching.

The effect of bilateral cardiac sympathetic denervation for refractory ventricular tachycardia in ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Recent studies have shown that cardiac sympathetic denervation (CSD) is effective in the treatment of refractory ventricular tachyarrhythmia in patients with structural heart disease. This case report aimed to highlight the effect of bilateral CSD in suppressing treatment-resistant ventricular tachycardia in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Impact of the type of electroanatomic mapping system on the incidence of cerebral embolism after radiofrequency catheter ablation of left atrial tachycardias.

Background: Left atrial tachycardias (ATs) often occur after left atrial ablation. The incidence of symptomatic and silent cerebral embolism after radiofrequency catheter ablation of left ATs and the impact of the type of 3-dimensional electroanatomic mapping (3D-EAM) system on the incidence of cerebral embolism remain unclear.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the incidence of cerebral embolism after a 3D-EAM system-guided left AT ablation procedure and compare that between the different 3D-EAM systems.

Postablation cerebral embolisms in balloon-based atrial fibrillation ablation with periprocedural direct oral anticoagulants: A comparison between cryoballoon and HotBalloon ablation.

Introduction: This prospective observational study aimed to investigate the incidence of symptomatic and silent cerebral embolisms after balloon-based ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients receiving periprocedural anticoagulation with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), and compare that between cryoballoon and HotBalloon ablation (CBA and HBA).

Methods And Results: We enrolled 123 consecutive AF patients who underwent a balloon-based pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) and brain magnetic resonance (MR) imaging after the ablation procedure (CBA, n = 65; HBA, n = 58). The DOACs were continued in 62 patients throughout the periprocedural period and discontinued in 61 on the procedural day.

Uninterrupted vs. interrupted periprocedural direct oral anticoagulants for catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation: a prospective randomized single-centre study on post-ablation thrombo-embolic and haemorrhagic events.

Aims: This prospective, randomized, single-centre study aimed to directly compare the safety and efficacy of uninterrupted and interrupted periprocedural anticoagulation protocols with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in patients undergoing catheter ablation of non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF).

Methods And Results: We randomly assigned 846 NVAF patients receiving DOACs prior to ablation to uninterruption (n = 422) or interruption (n = 424) of the DOACs on the day of the procedure. The primary endpoint was a composite of symptomatic thromboembolisms and major bleeding events within 30 days after the ablation.

Successful treatment using corticosteroids in early phase of eosinophilic myocarditis with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis.

We report the case of a 50-year-old man with eosinophilic myocarditis and bronchial asthma treated successfully with prednisolone. He was initially diagnosed with eosinophilia, and complained of acute chest pain with electrocardiographic changes and elevation of cardiac enzymes. Coronary angiography showed no atherosclerotic changes; therefore, we performed endomyocardial biopsy and started oral prednisolone therapy immediately.

A rare case of acute myocardial infarction with multivessel coronary artery ectasia successfully treated with percutaneous coronary intervention and systemic thrombolysis.

Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) is defined as a coronary artery dilatation with a diameter ≥1.5 times greater than that of a normal adjacent artery. All 3 coronary vessels can be affected by CAE, but the incidence of multivessel CAE among patients undergoing coronary angiography is quite low.

Use of the GuideLiner catheter for aspiration thrombectomy in a patient with ST-elevation myocardial infarction with a large intracoronary thrombus.

We report a 67-year-old man with ST-elevation myocardial infarction with a large intracoronary thrombus who was successfully treated with percutaneous thrombectomy using the GuideLiner catheter. This catheter is designed for the "Mother and Child" technique with a rapid exchange system and it has a larger internal diameter than conventional aspiration devices. When aspiration thrombectomy using a conventional aspiration catheter is not feasible or fails, use of the GuideLiner catheter for aspiration of thrombus is a reasonable alternative for primary percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Steam-deformed Judkins-left guiding catheter with use of the GuideLiner(®) catheter to deliver stents for anomalous right coronary artery.

Objective: Percutaneous coronary intervention for anomalous right coronary artery (RCA) originating from the left coronary cusp is challenging because of our current inability to coaxially engage the guiding catheter.

Methods: We report a case of an 88-year-old woman with non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction, with an anomalous RCA origin. Using either the Judkins-Left catheter or Amplatz-Left catheter was difficult because of RCA ostium tortuosity.

Successful treatment using corticosteroids in a patient with refractory vasospastic angina and bronchial asthma.

We report a 55-year-old female patient with refractory vasospastic angina and bronchial asthma treated successfully with corticosteroids. She was diagnosed with vasospastic angina by coronary angiography and the acetylcholine provocation test. Even after administration of oral vasodilators (benidipine, diltiazem, nicorandil, isosorbide mononitrate) she had recurrent chest pain with ST elevation.

Clinical history and colliquative myocytolysis are keys to the diagnosis of shoshin beriberi.

Cardiovascular beriberi presents as either the fulminant (Shoshin beriberi) or chronic form. Shoshin beriberi is a rare disease that may lead to a fatal outcome if the patient does not receive appropriate treatment. In the present report, we describe the case of a 66-year-old man presenting with leg edema and dyspnea at rest.

Successful percutaneous coil embolization of a large and tortuous coronary artery to pulmonary artery fistula.

We herein report the case of a 73-year-old woman with a large and tortuous coronary artery to pulmonary artery fistula treated with percutaneous coil embolization. The patient was hospitalized due to unstable angina with an elevated serum troponin-T level. Coronary angiography revealed no significant atherosclerotic stenosis, with a large and tortuous coronary artery to pulmonary artery fistula originating from the proximal portion of the left anterior descending artery.

Successful percutaneous coronary intervention of a chronic totally occluded left anterior descending artery via an ipsilateral intraseptal channel using intravascular ultrasound-guided retrograde wire-crossing technique.

We herein report a 59-year-old man with a chronic totally occluded left anterior descending artery treated by percutaneous coronary intervention via an ipsilateral intraseptal channel using an intravascular ultrasound-guided retrograde wire-crossing technique. When an antegrade approach is not feasible or fails, a retrograde approach to a chronic totally occluded lesion is reasonable. However, a retrograde approach from the contralateral coronary artery is not always feasible.

Successful percutaneous thrombectomy in an elderly patient with massive pulmonary embolism with cardiogenic shock.

We report on an 80-year-old woman with cardiogenic shock due to massive pulmonary embolism who was successfully treated with percutaneous thrombectomy using a conventional angiographic guide wire and catheters combined with systemic thrombolysis. We successfully treated the patient without a ventilator or extracorporeal life support. We report that percutaneous thrombectomy can provide rapid improvement of hemodynamic instability and can be used as an effective adjuvant therapy for systemic thrombolysis in patients with massive pulmonary embolism.

A rare adult case of left main coronary artery atresia.

We report a 65-year-old woman with congenital left main coronary artery atresia detected by coronary angiography and 320-slice multidetector computed tomography. The patient was hospitalized with congestive heart failure and treated by medical therapy conservatively. Surgical revascularization of the left coronary artery was not performed since stress myocardial perfusion scintigraphy revealed no clear evidence of myocardial ischemia.

Parachute mitral valve incidentally diagnosed in an adult patient with hypertension.

We describe a 52-year-old woman incidentally diagnosed as having parachute mitral valve (PMV). Echocardiography displayed a parachute-like deformity of the mitral valve characterized by a unifocal attachment of mitral valve chordae. PMV is a congenital cardiac malformation that causes stenosis of the mitral valve and is often found in combination with left-heart obstruction in the pediatric population.