Ultrasound guidance for femoral venous access in patients undergoing pulmonary vein isolation: A quasi-randomized study.

Introduction: Routine ultrasound (US) guidance for femoral venous access to decrease vascular complications of atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation procedures has been advocated. However, the benefit has not been unequivocally demonstrated by randomized-trial data.

Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) on uninterrupted anticoagulant treatment were included.

Randomized trial of intracardiac echocardiography-guided slow pathway ablation.

Purpose: Radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation of the slow pathway (SP) in atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia (AVNRT) is highly effective; however, it may require prolonged fluoroscopy and RF time. We postulated that visualization of the SP region with intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) could decrease ablation time, minimize radiation exposure, and facilitate SP ablation compared to the standard, fluoroscopy-guided approach.

Methods: In our study, we randomized 91 patients undergoing electrophysiologic study and SP ablation for AVNRT into 2 groups: fluoroscopy-only (n = 48) or ICE-guided (n = 43) group.

Management of cardiac implantable electronic device infection using a complete interdisciplinary approach.

Technological advances and increasing operator experience have improved the success rate of transvenous lead extraction (TLE). However, in some cases-especially with longer lead dwelling time-TLE can be highly complicated. In this case report, the authors present an unusual case of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) pocket infection diagnosed by F‑fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (F‑FDG-PET/CT).

Simultaneous visualization of callose deposition and plasma membrane for live-cell imaging in plants.

The appropriate combination of fluorescent probes enabled the simultaneous visualization of callose deposition and plasma membrane in living Arabidopsis and can be useful for the cell biological study of papilla formation in plants. Localized callose deposition at the site of fungal infection is a central part of papilla formation, which creates a barrier between the host plasma membrane and the cell wall and plays an important role in preventing the penetration of fungal hyphae into the host cells. Using chitin-induced callose deposition as a model system, we examined suitable conditions for the simultaneous visualization of callose deposition and plasma membrane dynamics in living Arabidopsis cotyledons.

PUB4, a CERK1-Interacting Ubiquitin Ligase, Positively Regulates MAMP-Triggered Immunity in Arabidopsis.

Lysin motif (LysM) receptor-like kinase CERK1 is a co-receptor essential for plant immune responses against carbohydrate microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs). Concerning the immediate downstream signaling components of CERK1, receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases such as PBL27 and other RLCK VII members have been reported to regulate immune responses positively. In this study, we report that a novel CERK1-interacting E3 ubiquitin ligase, PUB4, is also involved in the regulation of MAMP-triggered immune responses.

[Echocardiographic evaluation of the right atrial appendage and its clinical consequences].

In case of atrial fibrillation, there is a higher risk of thrombus formation, which could affect the right heart as well. Visualization of the right atrial appendage is difficult; the aim of the present review was to demonstrate the role of routine echocardiographic techniques and to show related clinical data. Orv Hetil.

Selecting persistent atrial fibrillation patients for pulmonary vein isolation based on the response to amiodarone: efficacy of the "one step back" strategy.

Purpose: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) by catheter ablation has reduced efficacy for the treatment of persistent atrial fibrillation (persAF), as compared to paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (paroxAF). We investigated whether the selection of persAF patients for PVI who "step back" to the paroxysmal stage on amiodarone offers a success rate comparable to that of patients with paroxAF.

Methods: Sixty-two consecutive persAF patients and 62 matched control patients with paroxAF were included.

Isolated left atrial posterior wall tachycardia.

A case of macroreentry tachycardia of the isolated posterior left atrium is presented after surgical and subsequent catheter ablation.

[Echocardiographic assessment of the left atrial appendage - transoesophageal, transthoracic and intracardiac approaches].

Left atrial appendage is a cardiac chamber in variable shapes and sizes. Its condition is associated with atrial arrhytmias and the presence of a thrombus. Due to its difficult visualisation, the present review aimed to demonstrate the role of different echocardiographic methods in its assessment.

[Long-term follow-up of patients with transposition of the great arteries following Senning or Mustard operations. Results from the CSONGRAD Registry].

Introduction: Transposition of the great arteries is one of the most common cyanotic congenital heart diseases.

Aim: The present study aimed to examine and compare long-term survival, functional grading, arrhytmologic and quality of life control in patients with transposition of the great arteries following Senning- and Mustard-operations.

Methods: The present study comprised 85 patients with transposition of the great arteries, of whom Senning-operation was performed in 37 cases and Mustard-operation in 48 subjects.

Echocardiographic diastolic function assessment is of modest utility in patients with persistent and longstanding persistent atrial fibrillation.

Background: Detection of concurrent diastolic dysfunction (DD) may be beneficial in patients with persistent and longstanding persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). The role of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in assessing DD in patients with AF has not been well characterized. We sought to determine the utility of TTE in detecting elevated left atrial pressure (LAP) in patients with persistent and longstanding persistent non-valvular AF using directly measured LAP as the reference standard.

Clinical echocardiographic indices of left ventricular diastolic function correlate poorly with pulmonary capillary wedge pressure at 1 year following heart transplantation.

Clinical echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic function is routinely performed following orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT). The purpose of this study was to determine whether echocardiographic indices of LV diastolic function correlate with pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) in the transplanted heart. Patients who had OHT between June 2009 and November 2011 underwent transthoracic echocardiography and right heart catheterization (RHC) at approximately 1 year post transplantation.

Atrial tachycardias occurring late after open heart surgery.

Atrial tachycardias are common after open heart surgery. Most commonly these are macro-reentrant including cavotricuspid isthmus dependent atrial flutter, incisional right atrial flutter and left atrial flutter. Focal atrial tachycardias occur less frequently.

Ventricular premature depolarization QRS duration as a new marker of risk for the development of ventricular premature depolarization-induced cardiomyopathy.

Background: Frequent ventricular premature depolarizations (VPDs) can cause cardiomyopathy (CMP). The mechanisms underlying its development remain unclear, with VPD burden being only a weak predictor of risk.

Objective: To determine whether VPD QRS duration at the time of initial presentation could predict risk for the subsequent development of CMP in patients with normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).

Left atrial volume best predicts recurrence after catheter ablation in patients with persistent and longstanding persistent atrial fibrillation.

Introduction: Patients with persistent and longstanding persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) have a higher recurrence rate after antral pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). We sought to determine the clinical, invasive, and noninvasive diastolic function parameters that are associated with AF recurrence after ablation in patients with persistent and longstanding persistent nonvalvular AF.

Methods And Results: We studied 125 consecutive patients with persistent and longstanding persistent AF who underwent antral PVI at our institution between April 2009 and April 2011.

Time to recurrence of atrial fibrillation influences outcome following catheter ablation.

Background: Outcome after atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence after ablation remains poorly characterized.

Objective: To determine whether the time to recurrence of AF after catheter ablation impacts outcome.

Methods: Four hundred thirty-nine consecutive patients with AF after catheter ablation were categorized as early recurrence (E) (3-6 months after ablation; n = 245 patients), late (L) (6-12 months; n = 118), and very late (VL) (>12 months; n = 76).

Surgical technique and the mechanism of atrial tachycardia late after open heart surgery.

Introduction: Diverse atrial tachycardias (ATs) can develop after open heart surgery. The aim of our study was to examine the determinants of the mechanism of postoperative AT.

Methods And Results: One hundred patients with AT occurring at least 3 months after open heart surgery were studied.

Gallbladder agenesis with a stone in the cystic duct bud.

An 84-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital because of pyloric stenosis caused by gastric cancer. Abdominal computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging failed to demonstrate the gallbladder, but showed a gallstone in a duct-like structure parallel to the common bile duct. When laparotomy was performed, the gallbladder and the fossa were not observed, and a blind-end duct, similar to a cystic duct, was found beside the common bile duct.