The scenic route: dilated left superior intercostal vein following acute left brachiocephalic venous obstruction
A 62-year-old man was scheduled for left-sided permanent pacemaker implantation for post-operative complete heart block. A peripheral venogram showed patency of the axillary and proximal subclavian veins. After access was obtained, the micropuncture wire did not follow the typical course expected of a left brachiocephalic vein. A venogram was therefore performed through a 5 Fr short sheath —this revealed a U-shaped course with eventual drainage into the superior vena cava (Panels A andB). (Source: Europace)
Source: Europace - February 8, 2023 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Stridor and dyspnoea after ablation for atrial fibrillation
A 74-year-old female underwent redo catheter ablation for symptomatic atrial fibrillation. Transeptal puncture was performed without difficulty. The pulmonary veins had remained isolated, so radiofrequency energy was applied at the left atrial roof and posterior wall, and cavotricuspid isthmus by QDOT ® catheter (Biosense Webster) using the QMODE plus protocol without immediate complication. Approximately 10 h post-ablation, the patient reported a foreign-body sensation in the throat and then progressive dyspnoea with stridor. Chest X-ray showed widening of the upper mediastinum (Panel A). Computed tomography (CT) at 24 h...
Source: Europace - February 8, 2023 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Thanks to Reviewers
The Editors of theEuropace would like to thank all those who have refereed papers for the journal during 2022. Without them, there would be no journal. The 2022 referees are as follows: (Source: Europace)
Source: Europace - February 8, 2023 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Editorial
(Source: Europace)
Source: Europace - December 27, 2022 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Erratum: New-onset atrial fibrillation following left bundle branch area pacing vs. right ventricular pacing: a two-centre prospective cohort study
This is an erratum to: (Source: Europace)
Source: Europace - December 13, 2022 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Unexpected fused posterior wall lesions after pulsed-field pulmonary vein isolation
We present the case of a 55-year-old patient with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation referred for pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) by means of pulsed-field ablation (PFA). Based on preprocedural imaging (computed tomography) showing a bilateral common ostium (CO) as PV variant, the larger penta-spline PFA catheter measuring 35 mm was selected for ablation. Bilaterally, acute PVI was observed during the first applications at the CO wiring the superior branches. Overall, eight application pairs were delivered with four pairs per CO (two pairs wiring superior and inferior branches, respectively, ‘basket’ and ‘flower petal’ ...
Source: Europace - December 2, 2022 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Catheter ablation of supraventricular tachycardias —a success story
This editorial refers to ‘In-hospital mortality and major complications related to radiofrequency catheter ablations of over 10000 supraventricular arrhythmias from 2005 to 2020: Individualized case analysis of multicentric administrative data’, by F. Doldiet al., on pages 130 –136. (Source: Europace)
Source: Europace - October 28, 2022 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Searching for atrial fibrillation: looking harder, looking longer, and in increasingly sophisticated ways. An EHRA position paper
Atrial fibrillationAsymptomatic atrial fibrillationAF screeningAF screening devicesAF populations at riskPatient ’s benefits of AF screening (Source: Europace)
Source: Europace - October 18, 2022 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Anatomical considerations and clinical interpretation of the 12-lead ECG in the prone position: a prospective multicentre study
ConclusionIn prone back position ECG, low QRS amplitude should not be misinterpreted as low voltage conditions, neither should Q waves and abnormal T waves are considered anteroseptal myocardial infarction. These changes can be explained by an increased impedance (due to interposing lung tissue) and by the increased distance between the electrodes to the centre of the heart. (Source: Europace)
Source: Europace - October 5, 2022 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Randomized evaluation of redo ablation procedures of atrial fibrillation with focal impulse and rotor modulation-guided procedures: the REDO-FIRM study
ConclusionsInREDO-FIRM, as compared to standard ablation, FIRM-guided ablation did not provide additional efficacy in redo ablation procedures, but FIRM-guided ablation was equally safe. Additional studies are necessary to identify any potential population able to benefit from FIRM-guided ablation. (Source: Europace)
Source: Europace - September 3, 2022 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Rate and nature of complications with leadless transcatheter pacemakers compared with transvenous pacemakers: results from an Italian multicentre large population analysis
ConclusionIn this analysis, the risk of device-related complications associated with L-PM implantation tended to be lower than that of T-PM. Specifically, the risk of early complications was similar in two types of PMs, while the risk of late complications was significantly lower for L-PM than T-PM. (Source: Europace)
Source: Europace - August 29, 2022 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Predictors of recurrence after catheter ablation and electrical cardioversion of atrial fibrillation: an umbrella review of meta-analyses
ConclusionAlthough AF is a major health issue, few risk- and protective factors for AF recurrence have been identified. None of these factors examined were supported by convincing evidence, whereas established factors such as female gender and left atrial volume showed only weak association. An early CA strategy combined with treatment of metabolic syndrome and hypertension prior to CA may reduce the risk of arrhythmia recurrence. The use of antiarrhythmics can increase the success rate of DC cardioversion.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO registry number: CRD42021270613. (Source: Europace)
Source: Europace - August 29, 2022 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
European Society of Cardiology quality indicators for the management of patients with ventricular arrhythmias and the prevention of sudden cardiac deathDeveloped in collaboration with the European Heart Rhythm Association of the European Society of Cardiology
AbstractTo develop a suite of quality indicators (QIs) for the management of patients with ventricular arrhythmias (VA) and the prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD). The Working Group comprised experts in heart rhythm management including Task Force members of the 2022 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Clinical Practice Guidelines for the management of patients with VA and the prevention of SCD, members of the European Heart Rhythm Association, international experts, and a patient representative. We followed the ESC methodology for QI development, which involves (i) the identification of the key domains of care for ...
Source: Europace - August 26, 2022 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
It is time for home-based 12-lead electrocardiogram
In the editorial ‘Is it time for a consumerized or home-based 12-lead electrocardiogram?’, Tooley and Turakhia1 pointed out the important limitations of one-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) or multi-lead ECG without precordial leads. They called for home based 12-lead ECG because ‘The hospital 12-lead ECG remains too cumbersome, and adapting a single left arm-right arm smartwatch ECG to obtain additional vectors is not ideal due to the high potential for baseline artefact and user error.’ (Source: Europace)
Source: Europace - August 25, 2022 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
Wavefront directionality and decremental stimuli synergistically improve identification of ventricular tachycardia substrate: insights from personalized computational heart models
ConclusionElectroanatomic mapping with MWP is more advantageous for characterization of substrate in hearts with less remodelling. During substrate EAM, MWP and DP should be combined and delivered from locations proximal to a suspected VT circuit to optimize identification of the critical VT site. (Source: Europace)
Source: Europace - August 25, 2022 Category: Cardiology Source Type: research
