Inappropriate high-rate ventricular pacing in a patient with a defibrillator.

We describe a patient who presented with high rate ventricular pacing secondary to dysfunction of his implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). The device was also unable to communicate with the programmer and unable to treat ventricular fibrillation. Immediate disconnection of the ICD from the leads was the only effective recourse.

Coronary and left ventricular pacing as standby in invasive cardiology.

Coronary pacing using as unipolar negative electrode a guidewire placed in a coronary branch was tested in 349 sites of 300 consecutive patients undergoing coronary angioplasty. It was possible for 339 sites (97%). The threshold currents ranged from 1 to 15 (mean +/- standard deviation 3.

[Intracoronary electrocardiography during transluminal coronary angioplasty].

To continuously record an intracoronary ECG during the crucial phase of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, the coronary guide wire was connected to an ECG recorder. In 25 patients the intracoronary ECG was recorded simultaneously with standard leads I, II and III during balloon occlusion of a coronary artery for 30-60 sec. The wire serving as electrode was positioned in the distal third of the coronary artery to be dilated, thus reflecting changes in the pertinent area of the myocardium.

Non-selective intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography for the assessment of coronary artery bypass grafts.

Non-selective intra-arterial digital subtraction angiography (DSA) was performed immediately before selective coronary and bypass angiography in 33 consecutive symptomatic patients 48 +/- 30 months after coronary surgery, for the assessment of 75 coronary bypass grafts. Forty ml of non-ionic, low-iodine content contrast medium (iohexol) were injected into the ascending aorta at 10-20 ml/sec through a 7 or 8 F femoral pigtail catheter. Electrocardiogram-triggered images were acquired on a Siemens Digitron II apparatus in multiple projections in 24 patients and in a single projection in 9 patients.