Retrieval of an Aveir Leadless Pacemaker With a Standard Retrieval Catheter by Releasing the Wedged Docking Button Using a Loop Wire Technique.

Introduction: The docking button of the Aveir leadless pacemaker (LP) is occasionally difficult to access due to its inappropriate position in the right ventricle (RV).

Methods And Results: We report a case where the Aveir LP was successfully retrieved by releasing the wedged docking button in the inferior wall of the RV using a loop wire technique.

Conclusion: The loop wire technique may be useful to change the position of the Aveir LP.

Impact of Atrial Fibrillation Triggers on Long-Term Outcomes of a Second Catheter Ablation of Nonparoxysmal Atrial Fibrillation.

Catheter ablation (CA) of atrial fibrillation (AF) triggers, including non-pulmonary vein (PV) foci, contributes to improved procedural outcomes. However, the clinical significance of an AF trigger ablation during second CA procedures for nonparoxysmal AF is unknown. We enrolled 94 patients with nonparoxysmal AF undergoing a second CA.

Electrophysiological evidence of right atrial epicardial connections in a case with recurrent common atrial flutter.

The majority of the cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI) region consists of discretely arranged muscle bundles separated by connective tissue. Heterogeneity in the anatomic arrangement of the muscle bundles results in differences in the endocardial and epicardial activation patterns. We present a case of recurrent atrial flutter (AFL) despite the presence of a complete endocardial CTI block.

Significance of mitral L-waves in predicting late recurrences of atrial fibrillation after radiofrequency catheter ablation.

Background: The mitral L-wave, a prominent mid-diastolic filling wave in echocardiographic examinations, is associated with severe left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. The relationship between the mitral L-wave and outcome of catheter ablation (CA) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) has not been established. This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of mitral L-waves on AF recurrence after CA.

Predictive value of the cardio-ankle vascular index for recurrence of atrial fibrillation after catheter ablation.

Background: The predictive value of the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) for estimating the efficacy outcome of catheter ablation (CA) in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients is unclear. We aimed to examine the predictive performance of the CAVI for recurrences of atrial arrhythmias after CA.

Methods: We enrolled a total of 193 patients with AF (paroxysmal 126 and non-paroxysmal 67) who underwent initial CA procedures at our institute, and CAVI measurements were conducted between January 2016 and March 2017.

Relationship between the nutritional status and safety and efficacy outcomes in atrial fibrillation patients aged 80 years and over receiving oral anticoagulants.

Background: Malnutrition has been reported to be associated with worse clinical outcomes in various cardiovascular diseases. We aimed to investigate the clinical significance of the nutritional status in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients aged 80 years and over receiving oral anticoagulants (OACs), focusing on the difference between direct OACs (DOACs) and warfarin treatment.

Methods: This was a retrospective and observational study.

Early electrocardiographic indices for predicting chronic doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity.

Background: Dealing with chemotherapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) remains a significant problem complicated by the difficulty in early detection of cardiotoxicity. Electrocardiogram (ECG) is expected to be the most realistic methodology due to lower cost-performance and non-invasiveness. We investigated the long-term visual fluctuations in the ECG waveforms in patients with chronic doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity to identify ECG indices for the early detection of cardiotoxicity.

Comparison of Landiolol and Digoxin as an Intravenous Drug for Controlling the Heart Rate in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation and Severely Depressed Left Ventricular Function.

Clinical experience with landiolol use in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and a severely depressed left ventricular (LV) function is limited. We compared the efficacy and safety of landiolol with that of digoxin as an intravenous drug in controlling the heart rate (HR) during AF associated with a very low LV ejection fraction (LVEF).We retrospectively analyzed 53 patients treated with landiolol (n = 34) or digoxin (n = 19) for AF tachycardias with an LVEF ≤ 25.

Comparison of the Transdermal Bisoprolol Patch with Oral Bisoprolol Fumarate Administration as a Therapeutic Agent for Idiopathic Frequent Premature Ventricular Contractions.

The transdermal bisoprolol patch (TB) was designed to maintain a sustained concentration of bisoprolol in plasma by a higher trough concentration than oral bisoporolol (OB). We compared the efficacy between TB and OB in patients with idiopathic premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) while considering their duration of action.A total of 78 patients with a PVC count of ≥ 3,000 beats/24 hours were divided into groups treated with TB 4 mg (n = 43) or OB 2.

Clinical Factors Associated with a Successful Catheter Ablation Outcome in Elderly Patients with Atrial Fibrillation.

Catheter ablation is currently an established treatment for symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF). We focused on elderly patients with a high prevalence of AF and attempted to identify the clinical factors associated with unsuccessful ablation outcomes.Among 735 consecutive patients who underwent AF ablation procedures, 108 (14.

Evaluation of oral anticoagulants in atrial fibrillation patients over 80 years of age with nonsevere frailty.

Background: The safety and efficacy of an oral anticoagulant (OAC) treatment and the difference between direct OACs (DOACs) and warfarin in nonsevere frail elderly patients with AF are unclear.

Methods: This was a retrospective and observational study of 354 patients over 80 years of age with nonsevere frailty who were diagnosed with AF and treated with OACs. Nonsevere frailty was defined as a clinical frailty scale score of <7.

Assessment of the bleeding risk of anticoagulant treatment in non-severe frail octogenarians with atrial fibrillation.

Background: Physicians estimate the frailty in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) to aid in the decision making with respect to oral anticoagulant (OAC) therapy. There are limited data on the safety of OAC therapy in non-severe frail elderly patients. We evaluated the risk factors of bleeding among non-severe frail octogenarians with AF taking OACs.