Mechanisms of action behind the protective effects of proactive esophageal cooling during radiofrequency catheter ablation in the left atrium.

Proactive esophageal cooling for the purpose of reducing the likelihood of ablation-related esophageal injury resulting from radiofrequency (RF) cardiac ablation procedures is increasingly being used and has been Food and Drug Administration cleared as a protective strategy during left atrial RF ablation for the treatment of atrial fibrillation. In this review, we examine the evidence supporting the use of proactive esophageal cooling and the potential mechanisms of action that reduce the likelihood of atrioesophageal fistula (AEF) formation. Although the pathophysiology behind AEF formation after thermal injury from RF ablation is not well studied, a robust literature on fistula formation in other conditions (eg, Crohn disease, cancer, and trauma) exists and the relationship to AEF formation is investigated in this review.

Concomitant treatment of sustained ventricular tachycardia and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with transcoronary ethanol ablation: a case report.

Background: The recommended treatment for recurrent ventricular tachycardia in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy that is not amenable to defibrillator implantation due to shock burden is radiofrequency ablation. In patients with deeply intramural foci of ventricular tachycardia, traditional unipolar ablation has a lower probability of success.

Case Summary: A 66-year-old Caucasian man was admitted with ventricular tachycardia, which recurred despite antiarrhythmic drugs.

High-Frequency Low-Tidal Volume Ventilation Improves Long-Term Outcomes in AF Ablation: A Multicenter Prospective Study.

Background: High-frequency, low-tidal-volume (HFLTV) ventilation is a safe and simple strategy to improve catheter stability and first-pass isolation during pulmonary vein (PV) isolation. However, the impact of this technique on long-term clinical outcomes has not been determined.

Objectives: This study sought to assess acute and long-term outcomes of HFLTV ventilation compared with standard ventilation (SV) during radiofrequency (RF) ablation of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF).

Tricuspid valve-in-valve jailing right ventricular lead is not free of risk.

Transcatheter tricuspid valve in valve (TViV) is increasingly performed on patients with degenerated bioprosthetic valves and elevated surgical risk. Jailing a right ventricular (RV) pacer lead at the time of TViV implantation has been achieved without causing lead dysfunction; however, device-related complications that require lead extraction raise the need for better periprocedural strategies for TViV, in pacer-dependent patients. We describe a case of device pocket infection with incomplete lead extraction, due to a jailed RV lead at the time of TViV.

Cardiac sarcoidosis detected by late gadolinium enhancement and prevalence of atrial arrhythmias.

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is being increasingly used to help identify patients with cardiac sarcoidosis (CS). Whereas ventricular arrhythmias have been well studied in this population, atrial arrhythmias have not been thoroughly investigated. We sought to better characterize the arrhythmia burden of a cohort of patients diagnosed with CS by CMR imaging.

Regulation of p53 tetramerization and nuclear export by ARC.

Inactivation of the transcription factor p53 is central to carcinogenesis. Yet only approximately one-half of cancers have p53 loss-of-function mutations. Here, we demonstrate a mechanism for p53 inactivation by apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain (ARC), a protein induced in multiple cancer cells.

A case of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy mimicking an acute coronary syndrome.

Background: A 71-year-old woman presented with severe chest pain after an episode of acute emotional distress. Her serum levels of cardiac enzymes were slightly elevated and electrocardiography revealed anterior ST-segment elevations. Significant coronary stenoses were excluded.