A novel ablation strategy of slow/fast atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia targeting the atrial activation focusing point at the inferior Koch's triangle: Identification of entrance site of slow pathway using high-resolution 3D mapping.

This is the case of a 29-year-old female with sudden palpitations due to tachycardia. The atrial activation focusing point (AFP) was presumed to be the atrial entrance site within the reentry circuit of slow/fast atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia by postpacing interval mapping. AFP is a novel ablation site because it is more distal to the His-bundle recording site and more atrial site compared to the conventional SP ablation site.

A Novel Wave-speed Mapping Method for Visualizing Accessory Pathways in Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome.

Introduction: Catheter ablation (CA) is the first-line treatment with a high success rate for patients with symptomatic Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, while three-dimensional (3D) mapping systems enable the identification of accessory pathways (APs). We aimed to develop a novel mapping method using wave-speed mapping (WSM) to determine AP locations and CA outcomes.

Methods And Results: This study included 19 patients diagnosed with atrioventricular (AV) reciprocating tachycardia.

Management of refractory intramural left ventricular summit ventricular arrhythmia: Acute success using bipolar radiofrequency catheter ablation with recurrence.

Bipolar radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) is a novel strategy for refractory or recurrent ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) resistant to conventional ablation methods. Lesions created during bipolar RFCA are larger than those created during sequential unipolar ablation. We present a case of refractory LV summit VAs, which identified the origin using a 2.

Laser Balloon Ablation in Patients with a Left Common Pulmonary Vein.

Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) with a balloon-based visually guided laser ablation (VGLA) is regarded as a useful therapeutic tool for treating atrial fibrillation (AF). The clinical efficacy of a VGLA has never been fully investigated in patients with left common pulmonary vein (LCPV). We investigated the procedural safety as well as clinical usefulness of VGLA in patients with LCPV.

Pulmonary Vein Perforation and Life-Threatening Hemoptysis During Cryoballoon Ablation for Persistent Atrial Fibrillation.

Cryoballoon ablation is an effective method for pulmonary vein isolation for atrial fibrillation; however, unexpected complications may occur while performing the ablation procedure. We report an extremely rare case of pulmonary vein perforation with hemoptysis that required emergency lobectomy caused by injury from a circular mapping catheter. ().

Slow-fast atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia induced by double ventricular response: A unique electrophysiological finding.

We reported a unique case of slow-fast atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia induced by double ventricular response with reproducibility.

Cryoballoon ablation of the left atrial posterior wall reduces recurrence of persistent atrial fibrillation in patients with non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

Background: This study aimed to clarify the clinical outcomes of cryoballoon ablation of the left atrial (LA) posterior wall (LAPW), including the LA roof, in patients with non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods: We analyzed the outcomes of 284 patients with non-paroxysmal AF, of whom 210 underwent the cryoballoon ablation of the LAPW, including the LA roof, in addition to pulmonary vein isolation with a cryoballoon.

Results: Complete conduction block at the LA roof was obtained in 95.

Prone-position computed tomography in the late phase for detecting intracardiac thrombi in the left atrial appendage before catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation.

Background: Contrast computed tomography (CT) is a useful tool for the detection of intracardiac thrombi. We aimed to assess the accuracy of the late-phase prone-position contrast CT (late-pCT) for thrombus detection in patients with persistent or long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods: Early and late-phase pCT were performed in 300 patients with persistent or long-standing AF.

Saliva as a potential matrix for evaluating pharmacologically active dolutegravir concentration in plasma.

Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is used in certain clinically selected cases and in research settings to optimize the response to antiretroviral therapy. Plasma of blood is commonly used for TDM, but blood sampling is invasive and at risk for transmission of infectious agents. On the other hand, saliva sampling is noninvasive, safe, cheap, and easily performed compared to blood.

Predictors of Phrenic Nerve Injury During Pulmonary Vein Isolation for Curing Atrial Fibrillation With Balloon-Based Visually Guided Laser Ablation.

Background: Pulmonary vein (PV) isolation (PVI) with balloon-based visually guided laser ablation (VGLA) is useful for treating atrial fibrillation (AF), but phrenic nerve injury (PNI) is an important complication. We investigated the predictors of developing PNI during VGLA.

Methods and results: We included 130 consecutive patients who underwent an initial VGLA of non-valvular paroxysmal AF.

Comparative evaluation of the Geenius HIV 1/2 Confirmatory Assay and the HIV-1 and HIV-2 Western blots in the Japanese population.

Accurate diagnosis of earlier HIV infection is essential for treatment and prevention. Currently, confirmation tests of HIV infection in Japan are performed using Western blot (WB), but WB has several limitations including low sensitivity and cross-reactivity between HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibodies. To address these problems, a new HIV testing algorithm and a more reliable confirmation and HIV-1/2 differentiation assay are required.

Impact of glycemic variability on myocardial infarct size in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: quantitative assessment of left ventricular wall motion severity.

Glycemic variability (GV) is relevant to impaired myocardial salvage in acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Severity of hypokinesis at the infarct site as assessed from contrast left ventriculography can reportedly predict infarct size in STEMI. We prospectively studied 58 consecutive patients (mean age, 63 ± 11 years) with anterior or inferior STEMI who underwent successful reperfusion therapy.

Significance of Sarcopenia Evaluation in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure.

In patients with chronic heart failure (HF), the clinical importance of sarcopenia has been recognized in relation to disease severity, reduced exercise capacity, and adverse clinical outcome. Nevertheless, its impact on acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is still poorly understood. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is a technique for quantitatively analyzing muscle mass and the degree of sarcopenia.