Pace mapping in the atrium using bipolar electrograms from widely spaced electrodes.

Background: Pace mapping is a useful tool but is of limited utility for the atrium because of poor spatial resolution. We investigated the use of bipolar electrograms recorded from widely spaced electrodes in order to improve the resolution of pace mapping.

Methods: This prospective study included patients undergoing a clinical electrophysiology study.

Unusual association of aortic valve stenosis with ventricular septal defect and pulmonary atresia: Differentiation from truncus arteriosus with truncal valve stenosis.

Stenosis of systemic semilunar valve in cyanotic congenital heart defects is rare. It can happen in truncus arteriosus with truncal valve stenosis and the very rare anomaly of tetralogy of fallot with aortic valve stenosis. Here we describe a neonate with pulmonary atresia, ventricular septal defect and associated aortic valve stenosis and discuss the points of differentiation from truncus arteriosus.

Percutaneous closure of a moderate to large tubular or elongated patent ductus arteriosus in children younger than 3 years: is the ADO II appropriate?

Protrusion of the Amplatzer duct occluder (ADO) II device into the aortic isthmus or the pulmonary artery causing obstruction and residual flow has been reported, but the same has not been widely studied in small children with a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) anatomy not considered suitable for closure with the ADO I device. This study aimed to report the safety and efficacy of the ADO II device in children younger than 3 years with a tubular or elongated PDA and to analyze the possible reasons for residual flow in children with such a PDA. In this study, 17 children younger than 3 years (mean age, 10.

Percutaneous transjugular device closure of postoperative residual atrial septal defect.

Percutaneous closure of postoperative malaligned residual atrial septal defect was successfully performed from the transjugular approach under transesophageal echocardiography guidance in a 38-year-old symptomatic woman with patent femoral venous access using the usual hardware. This demonstrates the feasibility of transjugular approach as an alternative to femoral or transhepatic approaches in patients with difficult atrial septal anatomy who are usually referred for surgery.

An unusual mediastinal mass in a patient with myocardial infarction.

Achalasia cardiae is a rare esophageal motility disorder of unknown cause, which can remain asymptomatic for a long time. Diagnosis can be missed in view of the frequent absence of pathognomonic clinical signs and symptoms. We present the case of an elderly gentleman, who had achalasia incidentally detected by transthoracic echocardiography during evaluation of coronary artery disease.