Impact of freezing time and balloon size on the thermodynamics and isolation efficacy during pulmonary vein isolation using the second generation cryoballoon.

Background: The differences in ablation characteristics of freezing time and balloon size using second generation cryoballoon are still unknown.

Methods And Results: Twenty-six dogs underwent pulmonary vein (PV) isolation. Balloon and tissue temperatures (left atrial-PV junction, phrenic nerve, and internal esophagus) were monitored.

Spatial and time-course thermodynamics during pulmonary vein isolation using the second-generation cryoballoon in a canine in vivo model.

Background: Thermodynamics in the left atrium-pulmonary vein (PV) junction, phrenic nerve, and esophagus during PV isolation (PVI) using the second-generation cryoballoon are not known.

Methods And Results: Twenty dogs underwent PVI using second-generation cryoballoon. Ablations were performed for ≤2 deliveries based on PVI without a bonus freeze.

Endoscopic treatments of obesity and metabolic disease: are we there yet?

Obesity and metabolic diseases represent a major problem for our society. For this reason, a number of medical, behavioral, hygienic-dietetic and surgical therapies have been used in an attempt to solve or palliate this problem. In these last years, we have seen a growing number of endoscopic therapies directly targeted to treat obesity and its complications, and its clinical usefulness is relatively unknown.