Incidence and predictors of thermal oesophageal and vagus nerve injuries in Ablation Index-guided high-power-short-duration ablation of atrial fibrillation: a prospective study.

Aims: High-power-short-duration (HPSD) ablation is an effective treatment for atrial fibrillation but poses risks of thermal injuries to the oesophagus and vagus nerve. This study aims to investigate incidence and predictors of thermal injuries, employing machine learning.

Methods And Results: A prospective observational study was conducted at Leipzig Heart Centre, Germany, excluding patients with multiple prior ablations.

[Endoscopic Ultrasound Drainage of the Gallbladder in Acute Cholecystitis in Patients at High Surgical Risk].

Background: The standard treatment for acute cholecystitis is laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Alternative procedures are used for patients at high surgical risk. Percutaneous drainage is widely available.

Oesophageal Probe Evaluation in Radiofrequency Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation (OPERA): results from a prospective randomized trial.

Aims: The aim of the study was to determine the incidence of oesophageal lesions after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of atrial fibrillation (AF) with or without the use of oesophageal temperature probes.

Methods And Results: Two hundred patients were prospectively randomized into two groups: the OPERA+ group underwent RFA using oesophageal probes (SensiTherm™); the OPERA- group received RFA using fixed energy levels of 25 W at the posterior wall without an oesophageal probe. All patients underwent post-interventional endoscopy and Holter-electrocardiogram after 6 months.

Nutritional status in tricuspid regurgitation: implications of transcatheter repair.

Aims: To characterize the prevalence and clinical relevance of malnutrition in patients undergoing transcatheter tricuspid valve edge-to-edge repair (TTVR).

Methods And Results: Overall, 86 consecutive patients (mean age 78 ± 7 years) with moderate-to-severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) at prohibitive surgical risk were analysed. Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), quality of life assessment, 6-min walk test distance and laboratory analyses were performed before and 1 month after TTVR.

Use of over-the-scope clips (OTSC) for hemostasis in gastrointestinal bleeding in patients under antithrombotic therapy.

 In patients taking different regimens of antithrombotic and/or anticoagulant therapy, endoscopic management of gastrointestinal bleeding represents a major challenge due to failing endogenous hemostasis. In this retrospective study we report on success rates with the over-the-scope clip (OTSC) system in upper and lower gastrointestinal bleeding in this high-risk patient population.  Between February 2011 and June 2014, 75 patients were treated with an OTSC for active gastrointestinal bleeding.

Open Surgical versus Minimal Invasive Necrosectomy of the Pancreas-A Retrospective Multicenter Analysis of the German Pancreatitis Study Group.

Background: Necrotising pancreatitis, and particularly infected necrosis, are still associated with high morbidity and mortality. Since 2011, a step-up approach with lower morbidity rates compared to initial open necrosectomy has been established. However, mortality and complication rates of this complex treatment are hardly studied thereafter.

Successful nonsurgical treatment of esophagopericardial fistulas after atrial fibrillation catheter ablation: a case series.

Background: Esophageal perforations are a rare but devastating complication of atrial fibrillation catheter ablation. Rapid treatment is crucial to avoid permanent disabilities and death. Surgical treatment is considered the treatment of choice.

Chemotherapy-Induced Ischemic Colitis in a Patient with Jejunal Lymphoma.

The occurrence of acute ischemic colitis may be associated with the intake of various drugs. However, colitis during antineoplastic chemotherapy usually is due to toxic effects or neutropenia and not caused by ischemia. We describe a 51-year-old man with jejunal B-cell lymphoma who developed recurrent episodes of ischemic colitis following chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicine and prednisolone plus rituximab (R-CHOP).

Thermal esophageal lesions after radiofrequency catheter ablation of left atrial arrhythmias.

Objectives: Radiofrequency catheter ablation in patients with left atrial arrhythmias may cause esophageal damage because of the close proximity between the posterior wall of the left atrium and the esophagus. The aim of this prospective study was to determine the incidence, endoscopic characterization, and endoluminal temperature dependency of esophageal thermal lesions after catheter ablation.

Methods: In all, 185 consecutive patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation or left atrial macro-re-entrant tachycardia who underwent left atrial radiofrequency catheter ablation were scheduled for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.