Registry for Evaluating Healthy Life Expectancy and Long-Term Outcomes after Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation in the Very Elderly (REHEALTH AF) study: rationale and design of a prospective, multicentre, observational, comparative study.

Introduction: Data are lacking on the extent to which patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) who are aged ≥80 years benefit from ablation treatment. The question pertains especially to patients' postablation quality of life (QoL) and long-term clinical outcomes.

Methods And Analysis: We are initiating a prospective, registry-based, multicentre observational study that will include patients aged ≥80 years with non-valvular AF who choose to undergo treatment by catheter ablation and, for comparison, such patients who do not choose to undergo ablation (either according to their physician's advice or their own preference).

Right-to-left shunt via iatrogenic atrial septal defect requiring emergency surgical repair following cryoballoon atrial fibrillation ablation in a patient with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy.

Unlabelled: An 81-year-old woman with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy underwent catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter. Hypoxemia refractory to the administration of oxygen was seen after transseptal puncture. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed right to left shunt via an iatrogenic atrial septal defect (IASD) that was increased by tricuspid regurgitation flow.

Using the pre-freezing technique results in a wider area of antral isolation during cryoballoon pulmonary vein isolation in patients with atrial fibrillation.

The "pre-freezing" technique was a method in which a fully inflated balloon after the start of freezing was pressed against the pulmonary vein (PV) during cryoballoon ablation and has been applied especially in large-size PVs. Of 556 patients who underwent cryoballoon ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF), the pre-freezing technique was applied to 48 patients. The resulting 2:1 propensity score-matched data set included 120 patients.

A 15-year follow-up study of radiofrequency catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation in patients with tachycardia-bradycardia syndrome.

Introduction: Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with tachycardia-bradycardia syndrome (TBS) can be a major therapeutic option to replace permanent pacemaker implantation (PMI). However, the very long-term outcome of more than 15 years in these patients has not been elucidated.

Methods: From 2002 to 2008, 25 consecutive TBS patients (62 ± 7.

Effect of air removal with extracorporeal balloon inflation on incidence of asymptomatic cerebral embolism during cryoballoon ablation of atrial fibrillation: A prospective randomized study.

Background: It was previously reported, based on a retrospective study, that preliminary removal of air bubbles in heparinized saline water with extracorporeal balloon inflation reduced the incidence of asymptomatic cerebral embolism (ACE). The present study aims to compare the incidence of ACE between a conventional and pre-inflation method during cryoballoon ablation in a prospective randomized controlled study.

Methods: A total of 98 atrial fibrillation patients were enrolled and randomized into conventional and pre-inflation groups.

Very long term outcome after linear versus electrogram guided ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation.

The optimal ablation strategy for persistent atrial fibrillation (PsAF) remains to be defined. We sought to compare very long-term outcomes between linear ablation and electrogram (EGM)-guided ablation for PsAF. In a retrospective analysis, long-term arrhythmia-free survival compared between two propensity-score matched cohorts, one with pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) and linear ablation including roof/mitral isthmus line (LINE-group, n = 52) and one with PVI and EGM-guided ablation (EGM-group; n = 52).

HeartMate 3: new challenges in ventricular tachycardia ablation.

Aim: To describe clinical characteristics, procedural details, specific challenges, and outcomes in patients with HeartMate3™ (HM3), a left ventricular assist device system with a magnetically levitated pump, undergoing ventricular tachycardia ablation (VTA).

Methods And Results: Data were collected from patients with an HM3 system who underwent VTA in seven tertiary centres. Data included baseline patient characteristics, procedural data, mortality, and arrhythmia-free survival.

Transition of the heart rate and atrial premature complex after cryoballoon vs. radiofrequency ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

The temporal changes in ambulatory monitoring findings after cryoballoon (CB) ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) have not been well elucidated. This study aims to compare the details of ambulatory monitoring after CB and radiofrequency catheter (RFC) ablation for AF. Of 724 consecutive AF patients who underwent initial ablation using a CB or RFC, 508 (254 pairs) were selected using propensity score matching.

Irrigated Needle Ablation Compared With Other Advanced Ablation Techniques for Failed Endocardial Ventricular Arrhythmia Ablation.

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Risk Factors for Repeat Infection and Mortality After Extraction of Infected Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Devices.

Objectives: This study sought to investigate the factors associated with repeat infection following lead extraction procedures.

Background: Although lead extraction is an essential therapy for patients with cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED) infection, repeat infection still occurs in some patients.

Methods: The authors reviewed data for consecutive patients who underwent extraction of infected CIEDs from August 2003 to May 2019.

Long-term course of phrenic nerve injury after cryoballoon ablation of atrial fibrillation.

While phrenic nerve palsy (PNP) due to cryoballoon pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) of atrial fibrillation (AF) was transient in most cases, no studies have reported the results of the long-term follow-up of PNP. This study aimed to summarize details and the results of long-term follow-up of PNP after cryoballoon ablation. A total of 511 consecutive AF patients who underwent cryoballoon ablation was included.

Periaortic Ventricular Tachycardias in Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy: Substrate and Electrocardiographic Correlations.

Background: Periaortic fibrotic ventricular tachycardia (VT) substrate is common in nonischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM), often intramural, and difficult to ablate. We sought to better characterize normal and abnormal periaortic voltage map parameters and NICM periaortic VTs.

Methods: In 15 patients without heart disease, the 5th percentile of endocardial voltage for increasing distance from the aortic valve ring was determined.

Staphylococcus bacteremia without evidence of cardiac implantable electronic device infection.

Background: Staphylococcus bacteremia (SB) in the presence of a cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) is frequently associated with CIED infection. In patients without clear CIED infection but SB, the role of empirical CIED removal is unclear.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe the natural history of SB in the setting of a CIED and the effect of CIED removal on mortality in patients with concurrent SB without evidence of CIED infection.

Candidemia in patients with cardiovascular implantable electronic devices.

Purpose: Current guidelines recommend complete extraction of cardiovascular implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) in the case of persistent or recurrent fungemia without other identifiable sources, though supporting evidence is lacking. We sought to evaluate the prognosis of patients with candidemia and CIEDs.

Methods: Twelve consecutive patients (54 ± 12 years, 8 male) with CIED and concurrent candidemia were reviewed.

Anatomical and Procedural Factors of Severe Pulmonary Vein Stenosis After Cryoballoon Pulmonary Vein Ablation.

Objectives: This study examined the anatomical or procedural factors associated with severe pulmonary vein (PV) stenosis after cryoballoon PV isolation.

Background: PV stenosis is a complication associated with cryoballoon ablation.

Methods: The study included 170 consecutive patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation who underwent cryoballoon ablation.

Detection of high-frequency artifact as a function of pulse generator algorithms and outer-insulation material.

Background: A high rate of malfunction, predominantly intermittent high-frequency artifacts (HFAs), has been recently reported in Abbott Medical Tendril pacing leads.

Objective: To investigate the factors associated with the occurrence of HFAs on Tendril leads using a commonly used comparator lead for a control.

Methods: We reviewed institutional data for Medtronic CapSureFix 5076 and Abbott Medical Tendril pace-sense leads retrospectively.

Atrioventricular Block During Catheter Ablation for Ventricular Arrhythmias.

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate the incidence and significance of atrioventricular (AV) block associated with ventricular arrhythmia (VA) ablation.

Background: Attempted ablation of VAs that arise from the septum carries a risk of AV block.

Methods: Data from 1,418 patients who had catheter ablation for drug-refractory VAs were evaluated.

Radiofrequency needle for transseptal puncture is associated with lower incidence of thromboembolism during catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation: propensity score-matched analysis.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation requires transseptal puncture to access the left atrium. Recently, a radiofrequency (RF) needle was developed. The purpose of this study was to compare the incidence of MRI-confirmed acute cerebral embolism (ACE) during AF ablation procedures performed with RF needle versus mechanical needle transseptal puncture.