Oesophageal Probe Evaluation in Radiofrequency Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation (OPERA): results from a prospective randomized trial.

Aims: The aim of the study was to determine the incidence of oesophageal lesions after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of atrial fibrillation (AF) with or without the use of oesophageal temperature probes.

Methods And Results: Two hundred patients were prospectively randomized into two groups: the OPERA+ group underwent RFA using oesophageal probes (SensiTherm™); the OPERA- group received RFA using fixed energy levels of 25 W at the posterior wall without an oesophageal probe. All patients underwent post-interventional endoscopy and Holter-electrocardiogram after 6 months.

Natural course of acquired pulmonary vein stenosis after radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation-Is routine follow-up imaging indicated or not?

Introduction: Thermal injury during radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of atrial fibrillation (AF) can lead to pulmonary vein stenosis (PVS). The aim of the present study was to analyze the natural course of RFA-induced PVS with regard to the grade of stenosis, clinical symptoms, and mortality during long-term follow-up.

Methods And Results: All patients with follow-up imaging for radiofrequency-induced untreated PVS were retrospectively assessed.

Epicardial adipose tissue thickness as an independent predictor of ventricular tachycardia recurrence following ablation.

Background: Although several investigations have shown a relationship between increased epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) and atrial fibrillation (AF), the association between EAT and ventricular tachycardia (VT) has not been evaluated.

Objective: We investigated the association between EAT and postablation VT recurrence.

Methods: Sixty-one consecutive patients (mean age = 62.

Clinical workflow and applicability of electrophysiological cardiovascular magnetic resonance-guided radiofrequency ablation of isthmus-dependent atrial flutter.

Aims: To determine safety and efficacy of electrophysiological cardiovascular magnetic resonance (EP-CMR)-guided radiofrequency (RF) ablation in patients with typical right atrial flutter in a routine clinical setting.

Methods And Results: Thirty patients with typical right atrial flutter underwent clinically indicated EP-CMR-guided cavotricuspid isthmus ablation. EP-CMR protocols included pre- and post-ablation CMR imaging (whole heart, T2-weighted, and early-/late-gadolinium enhancement) together with electroanatomic mapping of the right atrium.

Rate of acquired pulmonary vein stenosis after ablation of atrial fibrillation referred to electroanatomical mapping systems: Does it matter?

Background: Thermal injury during radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of atrial fibrillation (AF) can lead to pulmonary vein stenosis (PVS). It is currently unclear if routine screening for PVS by imaging (echocardiography, computed tomography) is clinically meaningful and if there is a correlation between PVS and the electroanatomical mapping system (EAMS) used for the ablation procedure. It was therefore investigated in the current single center experience.

Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation with nonfluoroscopic catheter visualization-a prospective randomized comparison.

Purpose: The application of a novel platform for nonfluoroscopic catheter sensor tracking within pre-recorded x-ray loops in the context of catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) demonstrated significant potential for reduction of fluoroscopy. We sought to provide the first prospective randomized comparison of fluoroscopy needs, procedure times, and complications in AF catheter ablation with or without additional use of nonfluoroscopic catheter visualization (NFCV).

Methods: Patients with AF were randomized into two groups before scheduled radiofrequency ablation: (1) using established mapping systems and fluoroscopy as needed (CONV group) or (2) with additional NFCV (NFCV group).

Acquired Pulmonary Vein Stenosis After Radiofrequency Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation: Single-Center Experience in Catheter Interventional Treatment.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to analyze and report a single-center experience with catheter interventional treatment of radiofrequency-induced pulmonary vein stenosis (PVS) following atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation.

Background: Catheter interventional treatment of radiofrequency-induced PVS following AF ablation remains a challenging field because of a lack of randomized data and treatment guidelines.

Methods: All patients at a single center who underwent catheter interventional treatment for radiofrequency-induced PVS were retrospectively assessed.

Complex cases of acquired pulmonary vein stenosis after radiofrequency ablation: is surgical repair an option?

Aims: Results of catheter based interventional treatment for pulmonary vein stenosis (PVS) following radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for atrial fibrillation remain suboptimal. Surgical repair may represent an alternative therapy, though long-term results have not been thoroughly investigated.

Methods And Results: We retrospectively assessed all patients in our centre undergoing surgical repair for radiofrequency-induced PVS.

Prognostic impact of atrial fibrillation in cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction: a substudy of the IABP-SHOCK II trial.

Background: Aim of the current study was to analyse the impact of atrial fibrillation (AF) on prognosis in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS) complicating acute myocardial infarction (AMI), which has never been investigated yet.

Methods: The current analysis is a substudy of the IABP-SHOCK II trial. Patients were grouped according to the presence or absence of AF.

Ablation of typical atrial flutter using a non-fluoroscopic catheter tracking system vs. conventional fluoroscopy--results from a prospective randomized study.

Aims: Reduction of radiation exposure using a sensor-based non-fluoroscopic catheter tracking (NFCT) system (MediGuide™, St Jude Medical, Inc.) was recently demonstrated by retrospective comparisons. We aimed to prospectively compare the effects of using NFCT vs.

Early referral for ablation of scar-related ventricular tachycardia is associated with improved acute and long-term outcomes: results from the Heart Center of Leipzig ventricular tachycardia registry.

Background: The effects of time to referral for catheter ablation (CA) of scar-related ventricular tachycardia (VT) on acute success, VT recurrence, and cardiac mortality are unclear.

Methods And Results: We investigated 300 patients after CA of sustained VT. CA was performed within 30 days after the first documented VT in 75 (25%) patients (group 1), between 1 month and 1 year in 84 (28%) patients (group 2), and >1 year after the first VT occurrence in 141 (47%) patients (group 3).