Combined Use of S-ICD and Absorbable Antibacterial Envelopes: A Proof-of-concept Study.

Background: Absorbable antibacterial envelopes (AAEs) are currently recommended in patients undergoing a transvenous ICD implantation in cases at high risk of infection, who are now preferably implanted with a subcutaneous ICD (S-ICD). Nevertheless, experiences using a combined approach with S-ICD and AAE have not been reported. The aim of our study was to evaluate this strategy in patients at very high risk of infection.

A reproducible sensor pattern to suspect COVID19 pulmonary infection with LATITUDE. Case report and literature review.

A 78 year-old patient with postischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy and severely reduced ejection fraction was implanted with a Boston Scientific RESONATE X4 CRT-D and followed by LATITUDE remote monitoring platform. From the end of January to the end of March 2021 he was hospitalized for COVID19 pneumonia followed by two episodes of acute heart decompensation with bilateral pleural effusion. We remotely followed the patient and identified a typical Heart Logic sensor pattern linked to the COVID19 pneumonia, different from the one linked to the heart failure (HF).

Single-sweep pulmonary vein isolation using the new third-generation laser balloon-Evolution in ablation style using endoscopic ablation system.

Background: The endoscopic ablation system (EAS) is an established ablation device for pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The novel X3 EAS is now equipped with a contiguous circumferential ablation mode (RAPID mode).

Aim: To determine the feasibility of single-shot fashioned ablation using X3.

[Pulmonary embolism and SARS-CoV-2: analysis of patients hospitalized for pulmonary embolism and COVID-19 in a Northern Italian center].

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has shown high morbidity and mortality and the relationship between pulmonary embolism (PE) and COVID-19 is well established in the literature.

Methods: We describe the characteristics of a cohort of COVID-19 patients (EP-COV) hospitalized at our Centre with PE, investigating how COVID-19 may have influenced their outcomes, as compared to patients without COVID-19 hospitalized for PE in the same months of 2020 (EP-2020) and 2019 (EP-2019).

Results: EP-COV patients (n=25) were younger (60.

EP Laboratory Nightmare: Catheter Ablation of Malignant Premature Ventricular Complex Complicated by Left Main Injury.

We present a case of ventricular fibrillation triggered by a premature ventricular complex. During ablation from the left coronary cusp, the ablation catheter dislodged inside left main coronary artery, thus resulting in cardiac arrest. We immediately performed angioplasty and stent implantation, and the procedure was accomplished with a guiding catheter left inside the vessel.

Increased procedural safety of cryoballoon pulmonary vein isolation with a double 120 s freeze protocol.

Background: Recently a double 120 s freeze cryoballoon (CB) pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) protocol proved to be non inferior to a double 240 s freeze protocol in terms of atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrences. We hypothesized that this approach could also result in an increased procedure safety.

Methods: Eighty consecutive patients treated with a double 120 s freeze protocol (Group CB120) were compared with 80 previous consecutive patients treated with a single 240 s freeze protocol (Group CB240).

Anticoagulation in atrial fibrillation and liver disease: a pooled-analysis of >20 000 patients.

Aims: Anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation patients with liver disease represents a clinical dilemma. We sought to evaluate the efficacy/safety of different anticoagulation, i.e.

[Typical atrial flutter catheter ablation complicated by right coronary artery spasm and occlusion. Case report and review of the literature].

Right coronary artery lesion is an uncommon and serious complication of typical atrial flutter ablation. We report a case of right coronary artery occlusion during atrial flutter ablation managed with percutaneous coronary intervention, combined with a review of the literature, in order to obtain pathogenetic and epidemiological information about this complication.

Ablation Index-guided high-power (50 W) short-duration for left atrial anterior and roofline ablation: Feasibility, procedural data, and lesion analysis (AI High-Power Linear Ablation).

Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility, procedural data, and lesion characteristics of the anterior line (AL) and roofline (RL) ablation by using ablation index (AI)-guided high power (50 W) among patients with recurrent atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial tachycardia (AT) after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI).

Methods: Data from 35 consecutive patients with macro-reentrant left atrial tachycardia or substrate at the left atrium anterior wall or roof after previous PVI were collected. Ablation power was set to 50 W, targeting AI 500 for AL and 400 for RL.

Optimizing cryoballoon pulmonary vein isolation: lessons from >1000 procedures- the Frankfurt approach.

Aims: Cryoballoon (CB) pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is an accepted ablation strategy for rhythm control in atrial fibrillation (AF). We describe efficacy and safety in a high volume centre with a long experience in the use of the second-generation CB (CB2).

Methods And Results: Consecutive paroxysmal AF (PAF) or persistent AF (persAF) patients undergoing CB2-PVI were enrolled.

Cryoballoon Versus Laserballoon: Insights From the First Prospective Randomized Balloon Trial in Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) represents the cornerstone in atrial fibrillation ablation. Cryoballoon and laserballoon catheters have emerged as promising devices but lack randomized comparisons. Therefore, we sought to compare efficacy and safety comparing both balloons in patients with persistent and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF).

Left atrial appendage (LAA) electrical isolation by Maze-like catheter substrate modification in presence of LAA-occluder device: A case report.

Maze-like linear substrate modification in atrial fibrillation patients nonresponders to pulmonary vein isolation represents a feasible technique to gain left atrial appendage electrical isolation even in the presence of a Watchman occluder device.

Cryoballoon pulmonary vein isolation in treating atrial fibrillation using different freeze protocols: The "ICE-T 4 minutes vs 3 minutes" propensity-matched study (Frankfurt ICE-T 4 vs. 3).

Background: Time-to-isolation (TTI) guided second-generation cryoballoon (CB2) ablation has been shown to be effective for pulmonary vein isolation (PVI).

Objective: The objective of this paper is to compare the safety and clinical outcome of CB2 PVI using the TTI guided 4 minutes vs 3 minutes freeze protocol.

Methods: This was a propensity-matched study based on an institutional database.

Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation using ablation index-guided high power (50 W) for pulmonary vein isolation with or without esophageal temperature probe (the AI-HP ESO II).

Background: High-power, short-duration ablation for pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) in the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) facilitates the procedure and improve effectiveness; however, esophageal injury remains a safety concern.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of luminal esophageal temperature (LET) monitoring during high-power ablation for PVI in terms of endoscopic esophageal lesion.

Methods: Patients with symptomatic AF underwent ablation index-guided high-power (AI-HP) PVI (50 W; AI anterior wall/posterior wall: 550/400).

Phrenic nerve injury in atrial fibrillation ablation using balloon catheters: Incidence, characteristics, and clinical recovery course.

Aims: Systematic data on phrenic nerve palsy (PNP) associated with contemporary balloon ablation techniques (cryoballoon [CBA] vs laser balloon [LBA]) are sparse. We aimed to investigate the incidence, characteristics, and clinical recovery course in patients with PNP who underwent CBA or LBA.

Methods And Results: A total of 2433 consecutive patients who underwent balloon-based pulmonary vein isolation (CBA: n = 1720 and LBA: n = 713) were retrospectively identified.

CMR for Identifying the Substrate of Ventricular Arrhythmia in Patients With Normal Echocardiography.

Objectives: This study sought to determine whether cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) may identify structural heart disease (SHD) in patients with ventricular arrhythmia who had echocardiography ruled out pathological findings.

Background: Approximately one-half of sudden cardiac deaths are attributable to malignant VA. Echocardiography is commonly used to identify SHD that is the most frequent substrate of VA.

Diagnostic performance of coronary CT angiography carried out with a novel whole-heart coverage high-definition CT scanner in patients with high heart rate.

Background: Aim of the study was to evaluate image quality, radiation exposure and diagnostic accuracy of coronary CT angiography (CCTA) performed with a novel cardiac CT scanner in patients with very high heart rate (HR).

Methods: We prospectively enrolled 202 patients (111 men, mean age 66±8years) with suspected coronary artery disease who underwent CCTA with a whole-organ volumetric CT scanner. The HR during the scan was ≥80bpm in 100 patients (Group 1), while it was ≤65bpm in the remaining 102 patients (Group 2).