How an innovative catheter with temperature control and very high-power, short-duration ablation changed our approach to the treatment of persistent atrial fibrillation.

Ablation targets of persistent atrial fibrillation remain poorly understood nowadays: due to structural alterations of the left atrium, isolation of the pulmonary veins alone has proved ineffective. New ablation targets such as the posterior wall, coronary sinus, and left atrial appendage were then sought. A new catheter (QDOT Micro™) has recently been released, which has the potential to increase the safety and efficacy of the procedure: it is connected to a new radiofrequency generator that allows for temperature-controlled ablation by reducing power and increasing irrigation with the increase in tissue temperature and allows to deliver power up to 90 W for few seconds (very high-power short-duration).

Microelectrode voltage mapping for substrate assessment in catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia: A dual-center experience.

Introduction: The assessment of the ventricular myocardial substrate critically depends on the size of mapping electrodes, their orientation with respect to wavefront propagation, and interelectrode distance. We conducted a dual-center study to evaluate the impact of microelectrode mapping in patients undergoing catheter ablation (CA) of ventricular tachycardia (VT).

Methods: We included 21 consecutive patients (median age, 68 [12], 95% male) with structural heart disease undergoing CA for electrical storm (n = 14) or recurrent VT (n = 7) using the QDOT Micro catheter and a multipolar catheter (PentaRay, n = 9).

Estro-progestin and progestogen intake: What's the impact on hysteroscopic imaging?

Background: In current literature there is no report aimed to evaluate the effects of exogenous steroids on hysteroscopic imaging.

Objectives: To evaluate the hysteroscopic features of endometrium in women undergoing female hormones administration.

Materials And Methods: We reviewed video-records of hysteroscopies carried-out in women taking estro-progestins (EP), progestogen (P) and Hormonal Replacement Therapy (HRT).

Seizure outcome after extratemporal epilepsy surgery in childhood.

Aim: The aim of the study was to describe seizure outcome following surgery for focal extratemporal epilepsy and identify factors associated with prolonged postsurgical freedom from seizures.

Method: In this retrospective cohort study, children with drug-resistant focal extratemporal epilepsy were treated surgically and followed up in a single tertiary care centre between 1997 and 2008.

Results: Eighty children were identified for inclusion in the study (42 males, 38 females; median age 9y 1mo, range 3mo-18y 7mo).

Psychopathology in children before and after surgery for extratemporal lobe epilepsy.

Aim: To establish the rates and types of psychiatric disorder in children before and after surgery for extratemporal epilepsy. Relationships between psychiatric morbidity and demographic/clinical variables were examined.

Method: A retrospective case note review of 71 children undergoing extratemporal focal resection for drug resistant epilepsy in a specialist epilepsy surgery programme between 1997 and 2008.