Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Therapy in Brugada Syndrome: A 30-Year Single-Center Experience.

Background: Brugada syndrome (BrS) continues to pose clinical challenges, despite 3 decades of dedicated research and therapeutic advancements. The pivotal role of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy in safeguarding high-risk BrS patients from sudden cardiac death due to ventricular arrhythmias is undeniable. However, the debate on risk stratification and the use of ICDs for primary prevention remains ongoing.

Pentaspline catheter or cryoballoon for pulmonary vein plus posterior wall isolation in persistent atrial fibrillation: 1-Year outcomes.

Background: Left atrial posterior wall isolation (LAPWI) plus pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) can be performed with radiofrequency ablation, cryoballoon ablation (CB-A), or, recently, pulsed field ablation (PFA).

Objective: The aims of this study were to evaluate efficacy and safety of the pentaspline PFA catheter for PVI + LAPWI in patients with persistent AF undergoing an index ablation procedure and to compare 1-year outcomes of PVI + LAPWI with PFA vs CB-A.

Methods: All consecutive patients undergoing an index ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) at Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Belgium, between 2021 and 2023 were retrospectively screened.

2024 European Heart Rhythm Association/Heart Rhythm Society/Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society/Latin American Heart Rhythm Society expert consensus statement on catheter and surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation.

In the last three decades, ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) has become an evidence-based safe and efficacious treatment for managing the most common cardiac arrhythmia. In 2007, the first joint expert consensus document was issued, guiding healthcare professionals involved in catheter or surgical AF ablation. Mounting research evidence and technological advances have resulted in a rapidly changing landscape in the field of catheter and surgical AF ablation, thus stressing the need for regularly updated versions of this partnership which were issued in 2012 and 2017.

CTGAN-driven synthetic data generation: A multidisciplinary, expert-guided approach (TIMA).

Objective: We generated synthetic data starting from a population of two hundred thirty-eight adults SARS-CoV-2 positive patients admitted to the University Hospital of Brussels, Belgium, in 2020, utilizing a Conditional Tabular Generative Adversarial Network (CTGAN)-based technique with the aim of testing the performance, representativeness, realism, novelty, and diversity of synthetic data generated from a small patient sample. A Multidisciplinary Approach (TIMA) incorporates active participation from a medical team throughout the various stages of this process.

Methods: The TIMA committee scrutinized data for inconsistencies, implementing stringent rules for variables unlearned by the system.

Multielectrode catheter-based pulsed field ablation of persistent and long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation.

Aims: Rhythm control of non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) is significantly more challenging, as a result of arrhythmia perpetuation promoting atrial substrate changes and AF maintenance. We describe a tailored ablation strategy targeting multiple left atrial (LA) sites via a pentaspline pulsed field ablation (PFA) catheter in persistent AF sustained beyond 6 months (PerAF > 6 m) and long-standing persistent AF (LSPAF).

Methods And Results: The ablation protocol included the following stages: pulmonary vein antral and posterior wall isolation plus anterior roof line ablation (Stage 1); electrogram-guided substrate ablation (Stage 2); atrial tachyarrhythmia regionalization and ablation (Stage 3).

Short- and long-term outcomes in isolated vs. hybrid thoracoscopic ablation in patients with atrial fibrillation: a systematic review and reconstructed individual patient data meta-analysis.

Aims: Both isolated thoracoscopic and hybrid thoracoscopic atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation techniques have demonstrated favourable outcomes in the management of patients with (long-standing) persistent AF, as compared with catheter ablation. However, it is currently unknown whether there is a difference in short- and long-term outcomes when comparing these two minimally invasive surgical AF ablation procedures. Therefore, a systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to investigate these two techniques, with a specific emphasis on long-term freedom from atrial tachyarrhythmias (ATAs).

Focal Pulsed Field Ablation for Premature Ventricular Contractions: A Multicenter Experience.

Background: Pulsed field ablation (PFA) is a novel technology for catheter-based atrial arrhythmia treatment. Evidence of its application for ventricular arrhythmia ablation is still limited. In this study, we describe the feasibility and efficacy of focal PFA for premature ventricular contraction (PVC) ablation.

Catheter ablation as an adjunctive therapy to ICD implantation in Brugada Syndrome.

Background: Brugada Syndrome (BrS) is a life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia disorder associated with an increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) and sudden cardiac death. Current management primarily relies on implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs), but patients may experience ICD shocks. Catheter ablation (CA) has emerged as a potential intervention to target the arrhythmogenic substrate.

Sequential Unipolar Biventricular Pulsed Field Ablation for Refractory Intramural Septal Ventricular Tachycardia.

Catheter ablation of septal ventricular tachycardia (VT) is challenging. Pulsed field ablation is a promising technology, potentially reaching deep substrates. We report the first sequential unipolar biventricular pulsed field ablation targeting refractory septal VT.

Advancing Surgical Arrhythmia Ablation: Novel Insights on 3D Printing Applications and Two Biocompatible Materials.

To date, studies assessing the safety profile of 3D printing materials for application in cardiac ablation are sparse. Our aim is to evaluate the safety and feasibility of two biocompatible 3D printing materials, investigating their potential use for intra-procedural guides to navigate surgical cardiac arrhythmia ablation. Herein, we 3D printed various prototypes in varying thicknesses (0.

Surgical Coronary Revascularization in Patients With Underlying Atrial Fibrillation: State-of-the-Art Review.

The number of individuals referred for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with preoperative atrial fibrillation (AF) is reported to be 8% to 20%. Atrial fibrillation is a known marker of high-risk patients as it was repeatedly found to negatively influence survival. Therefore, when performing surgical revascularization, consideration should be given to the concomitant treatment of the arrhythmia, the clinical consequences of the arrhythmia itself, and the selection of adequate surgical techniques.