Failed carotid artery stenting followed by successful surgical intervention: Case report.

A 56-year-old female patient with significant carotid stenoses with circumferential plaques, causing localized vascular narrowing, was inappropriately indicated for carotid artery stenting. After placement of a distal embolic protection device in the left internal carotid artery, a stent was inserted; however, it could not be fully deployed due to the rigid, severely calcified vascular walls. The various endovascular attempts to recapture the protection device were futile and, eventually, led to fracture of the guidewire of the device and it remained entrapped together with the stent.

Implantation of a Cardiac resynchronization therapy system in a patient with an unroofed coronary sinus.

The unroofed coronary sinus (URCS) is a spectrum of cardiac anomalies in which part or all of the common wall between the coronary sinus and the left atrium is absent. Rarely, it is associated with coronary sinus atresia. The diagnosis of this lesion is important for the prognosis of the patient, especially in cases when cardiac interventions such as CRT implantation needs to be performed.

LV pacing as an alternative option to conventional RV pacing in a patient with tricuspid valve replacement.

Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is a relatively common anomaly. In patients with tricuspid valve repair/replacement (TVR)the control of atrioventricular conduction irregularity can be demanding, given the unavailability for implantation of the right ventricular (RV) endocardial lead, which is not recommended in such cases because of the risk of lead fracture at the valve site and valve damage or failure. Thus, epicardial lead may be an option; it requires a surgical procedure and it is not preferred in patients with prior thoracotomy.

Adherence to ESC cardiac resynchronization therapy guidelines: findings from the ESC CRT Survey II.

Aims: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) reduces morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure (HF) and electrical dyssynchrony. The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations indicating optimal patient selection for CRT implantation in both the 2013 European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) and the 2016 Heart Failure Association (HFA) Guidelines. We assessed the adherence to guidelines and identified factors associated with guideline adherence.

Present criteria for prophylactic ICD implantation: Insights from the EU-CERT-ICD (Comparative Effectiveness Research to Assess the Use of Primary ProphylacTic Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators in EUrope) project.

Background: The clinical effectiveness of primary prevention implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy is under debate. It is urgently needed to better identify patients who benefit from prophylactic ICD therapy. The EUropean Comparative Effectiveness Research to Assess the Use of Primary ProphylacTic Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (EU-CERT-ICD) completed in 2019 will assess this issue.