Reduction in Ventricular Tachyarrhythmia Burden in Patients Enrolled in the RAID Trial.

Background: The RAID (Ranolazine Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator) randomized placebo-controlled trial showed that ranolazine treatment was associated with reduction in recurrent ventricular tachycardia (VT) requiring appropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy.

Objectives: This study aimed to identify groups of patients in whom ranolazine treatment would result in the highest reduction of ventricular tachyarrhythmia (VTA) burden.

Methods: Andersen-Gill analyses were performed to identify variables associated with risk for VTA burden among 1,012 patients enrolled in RAID.

Sinus node sparing novel hybrid approach for treatment of inappropriate sinus tachycardia/postural sinus tachycardia: multicenter experience.

Background: The ideal treatment of inappropriate sinus tachycardia (IST) and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) still needs to be defined. Medical treatments yield suboptimal results. Endocardial catheter ablation of the sinus node (SN) may risk phrenic nerve damage and open-heart surgery may be accompanied by unjustified invasive risks.

Robotic application of a novel dual-energy device for left atrial ablation: intraoperative and early postoperative results.

Objective: Recent trials show that in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), pulmonary vein isolation performed with bipolar surgical ablation clamps using small bilateral thoracotomies is more effective than pulmonary vein isolation using standard catheter ablation. This improved efficacy comes with higher invasiveness including difficulty in execution and potentially more acute complications. Monopolar "loop" devices overcome these drawbacks but at the potential cost of decreased efficacy.

Anatomic substrate, procedural results, and clinical outcome of ultrasound-guided left atrial-pulmonary vein disconnection for treatment of atrial fibrillation.

This report summarizes the efficacy, safety, and feasibility of intracardiac ultrasound (ICUS) and local electrographic-guided pulmonary vein (PV)-left atrial disconnection, including the isolation of common PV trunks accomplished in 170 consecutive patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). A left common PV was found in 43% of patients with AF. During a follow-up of 549 +/- 330 days after ablation, the AF-free survival rate was 80% and comparable in paroxysmal and persistent AF.

Increased incidence of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias in implantable defibrillator patients after the World Trade Center attack.

Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate whether the destruction of the World Trade Center (WTC) on September 11, 2001 (9/11), led to an increased frequency of ventricular arrhythmias among patients fitted with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD).

Background: The WTC attack induced psychological distress. Because ICDs store all serious arrhythmias for months, the attack provided a unique opportunity to compare pre- and post-9/11 frequencies of potentially lethal arrhythmias among ICD patients.

Robotically assisted left ventricular epicardial lead implantation for biventricular pacing.

Objectives: Ventricular resynchronization might be achieved in a minimally invasive fashion using a robotically assisted, direct left ventricular (LV) epicardial approach.

Background: Approximately 10% of patients undergoing biventricular pacemaker insertion have a failure of coronary sinus (CS) cannulation. Rescue therapy for these patients currently is limited to standard open surgical techniques.