Publications by authors named "Ilka Koester"
Article Synopsis
- Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) using a novel endoscopic ablation system (EAS) shows promising results for treating drug-refractory atrial fibrillation (AF) with 60% of patients remaining free from symptoms after one year.
- A study involving 40 patients revealed that 99% of targeted pulmonary veins were successfully isolated, and some patients experienced AF recurrence due to reconnection of isolated veins.
- More extensive research with larger patient groups and longer follow-up is needed to fully assess the safety and effectiveness of EAS for AF treatment.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to evaluate the occurrence and severity of esophageal thermal lesions (ETLs) resulting from two different methods of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) in patients with atrial fibrillation.
- In a comparison of an endoscopic ablation system (EAS) and radio frequency current (RFC), the EAS group had a higher percentage of patients with thermal lesions (18%) compared to the RFC group (15%), with a notable presence of ulcerations in the EAS group.
- Although all detected thermal lesions healed within a few days, the findings suggest that the EAS method may produce more serious ETLs than the RFC method, warranting further research.
Article Synopsis
- CPVI is effective for restoring sinus rhythm (SR) in 43.2% of long-standing persistent AF patients, but often multiple procedures are necessary.
- 205 patients with long-standing persistent AF underwent CPVI followed by additional techniques if needed, with 67.8% achieving SR after an average of 1.7 procedures.
- The study highlights the need for caution due to risks like inadvertent left atrial appendage isolation during additional ablation strategies.
Article Synopsis
- High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) via a balloon catheter is a new method for treating paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF), but its long-term effectiveness is still uncertain.
- In a study of 32 patients, HIFU was able to isolate 87% of targeted pulmonary veins, and 56% of patients remained free of AF after a single procedure during a follow-up of about 1400 days.
- Despite promising success rates comparable to traditional methods, significant complications from HIFU have caused its clinical use to be suspended.