SANS FLUORO Too Big to Fail.

We present the first ever reported case of a super morbidly obese patient (BMI > 60) with drug refractory, symptomatic persistent atrial fibrillation who underwent an uncomplicated, but unsuccessful PVI ablation procedure and subsequently underwent AV node ablation and cardiac resynchronization therapy - pacemaker (CRT-P) insertion using a zero fluoroscopy technique. This case demonstrates the following two critical points: (1) difficulties in the treatment of massively obese patients with arrhythmias1; (2) increased use of fluoroless procedures2-4.

Development of Mechanical Circulatory Support Devices: 55 Years and Counting.

Heart failure is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Treatment of this condition increasingly involves mechanical circulatory support devices. Even with optimal medical therapy and use of simple cardiac devices, heart failure often leads to reduced quality of life and a shortened life span, prompting exploration of more advanced treatment approaches.

The Grand SANS FLUORO (SAy No Series to FLUOROsopy) Study: Examining Fluoroscopy Use in More than 1,000 Ablation Procedures.

The majority of electrophysiologists routinely use fluoroscopy (FLUORO) during ablation procedures for common arrhythmias despite the known complications of radiation exposure and protective lead use. This study assessed the safety of catheter ablation (CA) with FLUORO versus without FLUORO (SANS FLUORO) in patients with the following common arrhythmias: atrial fibrillation (AF), atrial flutter, supraventricular tachycardia, and ventricular tachycardia. A total of 1,258 CA procedures were performed in 816 consecutive patients over a 53-month period (SANS FLUORO CA: 609 patients; FLUORO CA: 209 patients).

A Different Breed of Wolf: First Known Case of Wolf-Hirschorn Syndrome with Third-degree Atrioventricular Block Requiring Pacemaker Implantation.

We describe a case of a 44-year-old male with a history of Wolf-Hirschorn syndrome (WHS) with seizures and mental retardation who was evaluated for what was thought to be a seizure. He was found to be severely bradycardic with a heart rate of 24 bpm. The electrocardiogram revealed third-degree atrioventricular block and he subsequently underwent an uncomplicated single-chamber pacemaker implantation procedure.

SANS FLUORO Optimized: A Case Report of Pulmonary Vein Isolation in a Patient with Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Defibrillator and the Optimizer™ III Device.

We offer the first reported case of a pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) procedure performed in a patient with two devices, specifically a cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D) and an Optimizer™ III device (Impulse Dynamics, Mount Laurel, NJ, USA), using the SANS FLUORO technique with zero fluoroscopy. In total, this patient had six leads traversing the right atrium, including two right atrial leads, three right ventricular leads-two associated with the Optimizer™ system and one implantable cardiac defibrillator lead-and a left ventricular lead.

Incidence of Atrial Fibrillation in African Americans post Atrial Flutter Ablation.

Background: African Americans have a lower incidence of atrial arrhythmias both atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrial flutter (AFL) despite having a greater number of traditional risk factors. The incidence of atrial fibrillation after cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI) ablation in patients with typical AFL is markedly increased approaching 40% in some studies. It is unknown if African Americans specifically have a similar rate of increased AF after CTI ablation for typical AFL.

Improved Dosing and Administration of Rivaroxaban when Prescribed by a Cardiologist.

Unlabelled: Rivaroxaban is a direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) indicated to reduce risk of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF). A discrepancy exists between the recommended dosage and real-world use of DOACs, especially rivaroxaban, thus putting patients at risk of thromboembolic events.

Methods: This retrospective study assessed real-world prescribing and patient adherence to dietary requirements during use of rivaroxaban in 116 patients with AF.

SANS FLUORO Supersized: A case report of Fluoroless Ablation in a Super Morbidly Obese Patient.

We present the first ever reported case of a super morbidly obese patient (BMI > 70) with drug refractory, symptomatic atrial flutter who underwent a successful, uncomplicated ablation procedure using a zero fluoroscopy technique. This case demonstrates the following two critical points: (1) difficulties in the treatment of massively obese patients with arrhythmias; (2) increased use of fluoroless ablation techniques.

Bucindolol for the Maintenance of Sinus Rhythm in a Genotype-Defined HF Population: The GENETIC-AF Trial.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of bucindolol with that of metoprolol succinate for the maintenance of sinus rhythm in a genetically defined heart failure (HF) population with atrial fibrillation (AF).

Background: Bucindolol is a beta-blocker whose unique pharmacologic properties provide greater benefit in HF patients with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) who have the beta-adrenergic receptor (ADRB1) Arg389Arg genotype.

Methods: A total of 267 HFrEF patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <0.

Zero-fluoroscopy Radiofrequency Redo Ablation of Atrial Tachycardia Following Pulmonary Vein Isolation: A Tale of Two Systems.

Regular atrial tachycardia (AT) is one of the most important proarrhythmic complications that may occur following left atrial pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). These tachycardias that develop after atrial fibrillation ablation may lead to worse symptoms than those from the original arrhythmia existing prior to the index ablation procedure. Ablation of various types of supraventricular tachycardias without the use of fluoroscopy has been shown to be feasible in both children and adults using three-dimensional mapping systems.

Effects of the HEART Camp Trial on Adherence to Exercise in Patients With Heart Failure.

Background: Few exercise training studies in patients with heart failure (HF) report adherence to guideline-recommended 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, and no studies have focused on a primary outcome of adherence.

Methods And Results: This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effect of a multicomponent intervention, Heart Failure Exercise and Resistance Training (HEART) Camp, on adherence to exercise (after 6, 12, and 18 months) compared with an enhanced usual care (EUC) group. Patients (n = 204) were 55.