Cardioneuroablation for neurally-mediated syncope: Initial experience.

Cardioneuroablation is an emerging alternative therapeutic modality for young patients with severe neurally-mediated syncope. We present two images of cardioneuroablation performed in young patients who suffered from recurrent neurally-mediated syncope with asystole and functional atrioventricular block. The patients remain syncope-free during follow-ups.

Radiofrequency versus cryoballoon catheter ablation in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation: A randomized trial.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) represent a challenging population for rhythm control therapies. Catheter ablation (CA) with pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is an effective treatment option for the reduction of the arrhythmic burden. Data regarding the comparability between radiofrequency (RF) and cryoballoon ablation (CRYO) in persistent AF are limited. METHODS: This is a prospective, randomized, single-center study designed to compare the efficacy in terms of rhythm control between RF and CRYO in persistent AF. Eligible participants were randomized 2:1 in two arms: RF and CRYO. The primary endpoint of the study was arrhythmia relapse in the early postprocedural period (first 3 months) and in the middle term follow-up (3 months to 12 months). Secondary endpoints included procedure duration, fluoroscopy time, and complications. RESULTS: A total of 199 patients participated in the study (133 patients in the RF arm, 66 in the CRYO arm). No statistically significant difference occurred between the two groups regarding the primary endpoint (recurrences ≤3 months: 35.5% RF vs. 37.9% CRYO, p .755, recurrences >3 months: 26.3% RF vs. 27.3% CRYO, p .999). From the secondary endpoints, CRYO was a procedure of significantly shorter duration (75.15 ± 17.21 in CRYO vs. 136.6 ± 43.33 in RF group, p < .05). CONCLUSION: CRYO and RF ablation appear to be equally effective for rhythm control in patients with persistent AF. CRYO ablation is advantageous in terms of procedure duration.

A rare complication: Right ventricular lead perforation abutting the left anterior descending artery through the left ventricle and the septum.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac perforation is an uncommon complication of transvenous pacemaker implantation typically occurring through the apex. CASE SUMMARY: We report a case of patient, in whom ventricular lead perforation was confirmed 6 days after implantation of a dual chamber pacemaker. The ventricular lead was perforating the ventricular septum, near the left anterior descending artery, exiting the left ventricle. The patient underwent cardiac surgery due to the lead perforation as also as aortic valve replacement due to concomitant severe aortic valve stenosis. DISCUSSION: The presented case report is a rare case of lead perforation through the LV and illustrates that lead perforation can still occur even after placement of the RV lead in septal position and even through the thick ventricular wall.

Contrast-induced early repolarization pattern and ventricular fibrillation.

Malignant arrhythmias during coronary angiography consist a complication of the procedure. Clinicians should be aware that intracoronary infusion of contrast medium can lead to physiological changes that lower the ventricular fibrillation threshold.

Loading with Oral P2Y12 Receptor Inhibitors: To Crush or Not to Crush?

Oral P2Y12 receptor inhibitors represent a mainstay treatment in patients with acute coronary syndrome and those undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. In the setting of ST-elevation myocardial infarction, when early platelet inhibition is highly desirable, the onset of action of oral P2Y12 receptor inhibitors is, however, delayed, likely due to delayed drug absorption. Crushing the tablets, which are to be used for patient loading with an oral P2Y12 receptor inhibitor, has been shown to provide earlier platelet inhibition than standard, integral tablets administration. Chewed ticagrelor tablets may also result in a similar effect. Such findings should be interpreted with caution, mainly due to the small number of patients enrolled and the nature (pharmacodynamic/pharmacokinetic) of the respective studies. Furthermore, in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, who remain comatose, crushing tablets is commonly applied in clinical practice for platelet P2Y12 receptor inhibition. In this review, we focus on current evidence regarding the role of crushed P2Y12 receptor inhibitor pills, analyzing clinical scenarios where most of the promise exists along with future expectations from this type of formulation. Large randomized studies are needed to draw firm conclusions regarding the clinical benefit of 'crushing' over the usual 'not-crushing' practice.

Radial artery as a graft for coronary artery bypass surgery in the era of transradial catheterization.

Radial artery use as a bypass conduit is well established during the past decades, in terms of both patency and safety. On the other hand, transradial catheterization causes a series of structural and functional changes to the vessel itself. Impairment of nitric oxide-dependent vasodilation and notable decrease in radial artery diameter due to intima thickening and hyperplasia, especially during the first 3 months after its cannulation, constitute some of the most important alterations on the radial artery wall and its function after a transradial coronary catheterization procedure. Given the constantly increasing numbers of these transradial catheterization procedures, the authors of this article focus on the current knowledge regarding the potential use of the radial artery as a bypass conduit, after its catheterization, also considering several possible mechanisms on its subsequent structural and functional changes.

Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin as an Early Marker of Contrast-Induced Nephropathy After Elective Invasive Cardiac Procedures.

BACKGROUND: Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is an acute kidney injury (AKI) defined as serum creatinine (sCr) increase 48 to 72 hours after contrast administration. Because most subjects undergoing invasive cardiac procedures are discharged within 24 hours, sCr is unsuitable for CIN detection. HYPOTHESIS: In the present study we tested the hypothesis that neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is superior compared with sCr and other established nephropathy markers in early CIN diagnosis after elective invasive cardiac procedures. METHODS: Serum creatinine, urine creatinine, serum cystatin C, urine albumin, urine NGAL (uNGAL), and plasma NGAL were measured at 0, 6, 24, and 48 hours after contrast administration in 100 elective invasive cardiac procedures. Estimated glomerular filtration rate and albumin-to-creatinine ratio were calculated. Changes from baseline were considered statistically significant at P < 0.05 and clinically significant when > the biomarker's reference change value. Participants were divided into those with and without clinically significant uNGAL changes (uNGAL positive and negative for AKI, respectively). RESULTS: Thirty-three individuals were uNGAL positive for AKI. Serum cystatin C changes were statistically and clinically nonsignificant in both groups. Serum creatinine and plasma NGAL were statistically but not clinically elevated 48 hours postcatheterization in the AKI group. Except for contrast volume (higher in AKI group), groups were comparable at baseline (P not significant) regarding cardiovascular risk factors, coronary heart disease, coronary interventions performed, and renal biomarkers. Baseline uNGAL was significantly correlated to estimated glomerular filtration rate and albumin-to-creatinine ratio. CONCLUSIONS: Urine NGAL is potentially superior compared with conventional nephropathy markers in early CIN diagnosis after elective invasive cardiac procedures. Definition of clinically significant uNGAL changes with reference change value is probably a valuable supplement to statistically defined significant variations.