Non-invasive determination of the optimized atrioventricular delay in patients with implanted biventricular pacing devices.

Background: Biventricular (BiV) is extensively used in the treatment of congestive heart failure but so far no recommendations for optimized programming of atrioventricular-delay (AVD) settings have been proposed. Can AVD optimization be performed using a simple formula based on non-invasive doppler-echocardiography?

Methods: 25 patients (ejection fraction 30+/-8%) received BiV ICDs. Doppler-echocardiographic evaluation of diastolic and systolic flow was performed for different AVDs (30ms to 150ms) and different stimulation sites (left ventricular (LV), right ventricular and BiV).

Clinical and angiographic results of coronary artery stenting using PURA-VARIO (PUVA) stents.

Background: Many different stent types are available for intracoronary placement. No clinical trial has demonstrated clearly the superiority of any stent design over another.

Methods: This study was designed to analyze clinical and angiographic results after using intracoronary PURA-VARIO (Devon Medical, Hamburg, Germany) (PUVA) stents.

Left atrial versus bi-atrial Maze operation using intraoperatively cooled-tip radiofrequency ablation in patients undergoing open-heart surgery: safety and efficacy.

Objectives: We sought to determine whether limited left atrial Maze surgery encircling each of the pulmonary veins, using cooled-tip radiofrequency (RF) ablation, is as effective as the bi-atrial approach?

Background: The original Cox/Maze operation effectively restores sinus rhythm (SR) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Ablation procedures aimed at eliminating pulmonary vein foci have produced promising short-term success.

Methods: This was a prospective analysis of patients with chronic AF undergoing open-heart surgery in addition to the Maze operation, using intraoperatively cooled-tip RF ablation either in the left atrium alone (group A) or in both atria (group B).

Acute and long-term clinical significance of myocardial contusion following blunt thoracic trauma: results of a prospective study.

Background: The clinical significance of myocardial contusion (MC) following blunt thoracic trauma is still unknown. Accordingly, in this prospective study in a regional trauma center we investigated the acute and long-term clinical significance of MC.

Methods: One-hundred eighteen patients with manifest or suspected blunt thoracic trauma were evaluated for cardiac injury.