Intracardiac echocardiography guided anatomical ablation of the arcuate ridge for drug refractory inappropriate sinus tachycardia.

INTRODUCTION: Inappropriate sinus tachycardia (IST) is a common condition with frequently not tolerated beta-blockers or ivabradine and a high rate of complication in ablation strategy; we describe an alternative anatomical approach of sinus node (SN) modulation. METHODS: This retrospective study describes a case series of 6 patients from two centers diagnosed with symptomatic IST undergoing SN ablation. RESULTS: The mean age was 40.6 ± 13.9 years; five of the six patients were female, 100% of patients reported heart palpitations, and 66% reported dizziness, the average heart rate (HR) on a 24-h Holter was 93.2 ± 7.9 bpm. HR during the first stage of a stress test using a standard Bruce protocol was 150 ± 70 bpm, The average HR on 24-h Holter postablation was 75 ± 5.6 bpm, the sinus rate HR during stage 1 of a Bruce protocol exercise stress test was 120 ± 10 bpm. CONCLUSION: This is the first case series reporting the acute and long-term results of a novel anatomical approach for SN modulation to treat IST targeting the arcuate ridge (AR) under intracardiac echography (ICE) guidance. The novel anatomic ICE-guided catheter ablation approach aimed to identify the earliest activation at the AR with an extension of RF lesions toward its septal region seems effective and safe to modulate the SN in symptomatic patients with IST refractory to medical treatment.

Catheter Ablation of Idiopathic Epicardial Outflow Tract Premature Ventricular Contractions: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

The epicardial outflow tract can be a site of origin of idiopathic ventricular arrhythmias. These arrhythmias are most commonly perivalvular and can be targeted from within the coronary venous system or from other adjacent structures, such as the right ventricular and left ventricular outflow tracts or the coronary cusp region. The authors report a case of an epicardial idiopathic outflow tract premature ventricular contraction originating from the midseptal epicardial left ventricle. In this case, direct epicardial access was crucial to identify early local activation and achieve successful catheter ablation.

2024 European Heart Rhythm Association/Heart Rhythm Society/Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society/Latin American Heart Rhythm Society expert consensus statement on catheter and surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation.

In the last three decades, ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) has become an evidence-based safe and efficacious treatment for managing the most common cardiac arrhythmia. In 2007, the first joint expert consensus document was issued, guiding healthcare professionals involved in catheter or surgical AF ablation. Mounting research evidence and technological advances have resulted in a rapidly changing landscape in the field of catheter and surgical AF ablation, thus stressing the need for regularly updated versions of this partnership which were issued in 2012 and 2017. Seven years after the last consensus, an updated document was considered necessary to define a contemporary framework for selection and management of patients considered for or undergoing catheter or surgical AF ablation. This consensus is a joint effort from collaborating cardiac electrophysiology societies, namely the European Heart Rhythm Association, the Heart Rhythm Society, the Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society, and the Latin American Heart Rhythm Society.

2024 European Heart Rhythm Association/Heart Rhythm Society/Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society/Latin American Heart Rhythm Society expert consensus statement on catheter and surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation.

In the last three decades, ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) has become an evidence-based safe and efficacious treatment for managing the most common cardiac arrhythmia. In 2007, the first joint expert consensus document was issued, guiding healthcare professionals involved in catheter or surgical AF ablation. Mounting research evidence and technological advances have resulted in a rapidly changing landscape in the field of catheter and surgical AF ablation, thus stressing the need for regularly updated versions of this partnership which were issued in 2012 and 2017. Seven years after the last consensus, an updated document was considered necessary to define a contemporary framework for selection and management of patients considered for or undergoing catheter or surgical AF ablation. This consensus is a joint effort from collaborating cardiac electrophysiology societies, namely the European Heart Rhythm Association, the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS), the Asia Pacific HRS, and the Latin American HRS.

2024 European Heart Rhythm Association/Heart Rhythm Society/Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society/Latin American Heart Rhythm Society expert consensus statement on catheter and surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation.

In the last three decades, ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) has become an evidence-based safe and efficacious treatment for managing the most common cardiac arrhythmia. In 2007, the first joint expert consensus document was issued, guiding healthcare professionals involved in catheter or surgical AF ablation. Mounting research evidence and technological advances have resulted in a rapidly changing landscape in the field of catheter and surgical AF ablation, thus stressing the need for regularly updated versions of this partnership which were issued in 2012 and 2017. Seven years after the last consensus, an updated document was considered necessary to define a contemporary framework for selection and management of patients considered for or undergoing catheter or surgical AF ablation. This consensus is a joint effort from collaborating cardiac electrophysiology societies, namely the European Heart Rhythm Association, the Heart Rhythm Society, the Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society, and the Latin American Heart Rhythm Society .

Beyond the Classic Causes of Dysphagia: Bayford-Autenrieth Dysphagia.

Dysphagia lusoria (DL) is a rare clinical entity that presents with dysphagia derived from the anatomical obstruction of the esophagus by an aberrant vessel originating from the right subclavian artery. We present the case of a 64-year-old patient with a medical history of chronic, intermittent, mild, and self-limited dysphagia for over 20 years, wherein we formulated the diagnosis of DL. A 64-year-old woman arrived at the emergency department with a 24-hour history of acute progressive dysphagia, leading to intolerance to oral intake and minimal exertion dyspnea. A thorough clinical analysis and exclusion of other more common clinical entities will lead to its diagnosis. Our patient presented with respiratory symptoms, which is rare considering that these clinical presentations are more common in the pediatric population, explained by its tracheal elasticity. The combination of respiratory symptoms in an elderly patient, along with the typical mechanical dysphagia of DL, adds complexity to the diagnostic process, making this case unique.

DRESS and Stevens-Johnson Syndrome Overlap Secondary to Allopurinol in a 50-Year-Old Man-A Diagnostic and Treatment Challenge: Case Report.

Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome is a drug reaction commonly related to eosinophilia, from uncertain epidemiology, and without consensus for diagnosis and treatment globally. It presents a great challenge in its management and is characterized by fever, lymphadenopathy, skin rash, and multisystemic involvement. An aggressive and difficult-to-manage clinical case is presented in a 50-year-old man with chronic kidney disease due to diabetes mellitus type 2 and systemic arterial hypertension, who developed an unusual variant similar to DRESS and Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) overlap secondary to allopurinol, with skin manifestations without eosinophilia, but fulfilling clinical and laboratory criteria for DRESS and SJS syndrome.

Role of Silver Nitrate Spray for Skin Wound Care in Patients with Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis: Our Experience in 4 Patients.

Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are examples of severe cutaneous adverse reactions to drugs (SCARs) with several international recommendations for global medical management, ranging from pharmacological systemic therapy to skin wound care. There is no defined best management of the skin wounds in SJS/TEN. The care of wounds is essential to initiate re-epithelialization. Our objective is to improve the cicatrization process, avoiding scarring due to deepening of the wounds, as well as prevent infections, achieve pain control, and avoid loss of serum proteins, fluids, and electrolytes. In this retrospective case series, we highlight the value of systemic therapy and the use of silver nitrate for wound management in four patients with TEN.

Application of untargeted volatile profiling in inflammatory bowel disease research.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) diagnosis depends on criteria based on histological, endoscopic, radiological, and clinical results. These studies show drawbacks as being expensive, invasive, and time-consuming. In this work, an untargeted metabolomic strategy based on the monitoring of volatile compounds in serum by headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry is proposed as a complementary, fast, and efficient test for IBD patient diagnosis. To develop the method and build a chemometric model that allows the IBD diagnosis, serum samples including IBD patients and healthy volunteers were collected. Analyses were performed by incubating 400 µL of serum for 10 min at 90 °C. For data processing, an untargeted metabolomic strategy was used. A total of 96 features were detected, of which a total of 10 volatile compounds could be identified and confirmed by means of the analysis of real standards. The chemometric treatment consisted of a discriminant analysis of orthogonal partial least squares (OPLS-DA) obtaining a 100% of classification rate, since all the analyzed samples were correctly classified.

Acute and Long-Term Scar Characterization of Venous Ethanol Ablation in the Left Ventricular Summit.

BACKGROUND: Venous ethanol ablation (VEA) can be effective for ventricular arrhythmias from the left ventricular summit (LVS); however, there are concerns about excessive ablation by VEA. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to delineate and quantify the location, extent, and evolution of ablated tissue after VEA as an intramural ablation technique in the LVS. METHODS: VEA was performed in 59 patients with LVS ventricular arrhythmias. Targeted intramural veins were selected by electrograms from a 2F octapolar catheter or by guide-wire unipolar signals. Median ethanol delivered was 4 mL (IQR: 4-7 mL). Ablated areas were estimated intraprocedurally as increased echogenicity on intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) and incorporated into 3-dimensional maps. In 44 patients, late gadolinium enhancement cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaged VEA scar and its evolution. RESULTS: ICE-demonstrated increased intramural echogenicity (median volume of 2 mL; IQR: 1.7-4.3) at the targeted region of the 3-dimensional maps. Post-ethanol CMR showed intramural scar of 2.5 mL (IQR: 2.1-3.5 mL). Early (within 48 hours after VEA) CMR showed microvascular obstruction (MVO) in 30 of 31 patients. Follow-up CMR after a median of 51 (IQR: 41-170) days showed evolution of MVO to scar. ICE echogenicity and CMR scar volumes correlated with each other and with ethanol volume. Ventricular function and interventricular septum remained intact. CONCLUSIONS: VEA leads to intramural ablation that can be tracked intraprocedurally by ICE and creates regions of MVO that are chronically replaced by myocardial scar. VEA scar volume does not compromise septal integrity or ventricular function.

Translating Akkadian to English with neural machine translation.

Cuneiform is one of the earliest writing systems in recorded human history (ca. 3,400 BCE-75 CE). Hundreds of thousands of such texts were found over the last two centuries, most of which are written in Sumerian and Akkadian. We show the high potential in assisting scholars and interested laypeople alike, by using natural language processing (NLP) methods such as convolutional neural networks (CNN), to automatically translate Akkadian from cuneiform Unicode glyphs directly to English (C2E) and from transliteration to English (T2E). We show that high-quality translations can be obtained when translating directly from cuneiform to English, as we get 36.52 and 37.47 Best Bilingual Evaluation Understudy 4 (BLEU4) scores for C2E and T2E, respectively. For C2E, our model is better than the translation memory baseline in 9.43, and for T2E, the difference is even higher and stands at 13.96. The model achieves best results in short- and medium-length sentences (c. 118 or less characters). As the number of digitized texts grows, the model can be improved by further training as part of a human-in-the-loop system which corrects the results.

Catheter ablation of intramural outflow tract premature ventricular complexes: a multicentre study.

AIMS: Ablation of outflow tract ventricular arrhythmias may be limited by a deep intramural location of the arrhythmogenic source. This study evaluates the acute and long-term outcomes of patients undergoing ablation of intramural outflow tract premature ventricular complexes (PVCs). METHODS AND RESULTS: This multicenter series included patients with structurally normal heart or nonischemic cardiomyopathy and intramural outflow tract PVCs defined by: (a) ≥ 2 of the following criteria: (1) earliest endocardial or epicardial activation < 20ms pre-QRS; (2) Similar activation in different chambers; (3) no/transient PVC suppression with ablation at earliest endocardial/epicardial site; or (b) earliest ventricular activation recorded in a septal coronary vein. Ninety-two patients were included, with a mean PVC burden of 21.5±10.9%. Twenty-six patients had had previous ablations. All PVCs had inferior axis, with LBBB pattern in 68%. In 29 patients (32%) direct mapping of the intramural septum was performed using an insulated wire or multielectrode catheter, and in 13 of these cases the earliest activation was recorded within a septal vein. Most patients required special ablation techniques (one or more), including sequential unipolar ablation in 73%, low-ionic irrigation in 26%, bipolar ablation in 15% and ethanol ablation in 1%. Acute PVC suppression was achieved in 75% of patients. Following the procedure, the PVC burden was reduced to 5.8±8.4%. The mean follow-up was 15±14 months and 16 patients underwent a repeat ablation. CONCLUSION: Ablation of intramural PVCs is challenging; acute arrhythmia elimination is achieved in 3/4 patients, and non-conventional approaches are often necessary for success.

Substrate Ablation by Multivein, Multiballoon Coronary Venous Ethanol for Refractory Ventricular Tachycardia in Structural Heart Disease.

BACKGROUND: Ablation of ventricular tachycardia (VT) in the setting of structural heart disease often requires extensive substrate elimination that is not always achievable by endocardial radiofrequency ablation. Epicardial ablation is not always feasible. Case reports suggest that venous ethanol ablation (VEA) through a multiballoon, multivein approach can lead to effective substrate ablation, but large data sets are lacking. METHODS: VEA was performed in 44 consecutive patients with ablation-refractory VT (ischemic, n=21; sarcoid, n=3; Chagas, n=2; idiopathic, n=18). Targeted veins were selected by mapping coronary veins on the epicardial aspect of endocardial scar (identified by bipolar voltage <1.5 mV), using venography and signal recording with a 2F octapolar catheter or by guidewire unipolar signals. Epicardial mapping was performed in 15 patients. Vein segments in the epicardial aspect of VT substrates were treated with double-balloon VEA by blocking flow with 1 balloon while injecting ethanol through the lumen of the second balloon, forcing (and restricting) ethanol between balloons. Multiple balloon deployments and multiple veins were used as needed. In 22 patients, late gadolinium enhancement cardiac magnetic resonance imaged the VEA scar and its evolution. RESULTS: Median ethanol delivered was 8.75 (interquartile range, 4.5-13) mL. Injected veins included interventricular vein (6), diagonal (5), septal (12), lateral (16), posterolateral (7), and middle cardiac vein (8), covering the entire range of left ventricular locations. Multiple veins were targeted in 14 patients. Ablated areas were visualized intraprocedurally as increased echogenicity on intracardiac echocardiography and incorporated into 3-dimensional maps. After VEA, vein and epicardial ablation maps showed elimination of abnormal electrograms of the VT substrate. Intracardiac echocardiography demonstrated increased intramural echogenicity at the targeted region of the 3-dimensional maps. At 1 year of follow-up, median of 314 (interquartile range, 198-453) days of follow-up, VT recurrence occurred in 7 patients, for a success of 84.1%. CONCLUSIONS: Multiballoon, multivein intramural ablation by VEA can provide effective substrate ablation in patients with ablation-refractory VT in the setting of structural heart disease over a broad range of left ventricular locations.

Metabolism of renin-angiotensin and enkephalin in human follicular fluid: An experimental study.

Background: The relationship between the biochemical characteristics of follicular fluid (FF), oocyte quality and embryonic development has not yet been elucidated. We compared samples of FF with a normal metabolic profile against samples with metabolic abnormalities to identify potential predictive biomarkers of reproductive success. Objective: To analyze peptide activity in the FF of women undergoing in vitro fertilization using 3 samples of FF per individual. Materials and Methods: FF samples were obtained by ovum pick-up. Pathological samples were defined as samples of FF obtained from women with a gynecological condition or with infertility. A total of 30 women participated in this study. 3 samples of FF were obtained per individual (90 samples), but 8 samples were excluded because they were hemolyzed. The samples (n = 82 FF) included controls (n = 36, donors without fertility problems), women with endometriosis (n = 15), unexplained infertility (n = 19), and aged > 39 (n = 12). We assessed local encephalinergics: aminopeptidase-N (puromycin sensitive aminopeptidase and neutral endopeptidase; and components of the angiotensin system of the reproductive tract: prolyl-endopeptidase, APN, aspartate-aminopeptidase, and basic-aminopeptidase. Results: No differences were observed in peptide metabolism based on the presence or absence of oocytes in the FF. Women with endometriosis and aged > 39 yr showed alterations in puromycin sensitive aminopeptidase (p = 0.01), aminopeptidase-B (p = 0.01), aspartate-aminopeptidase (p < 0.001) and neutral endopeptidase (p < 0.001). Conclusion: This study reveals alterations in the metabolism of enkephalin and angiotensin in pathological FF, which points to these components as potential diagnostic biomarkers.

Advanced Techniques for Ethanol Ablation of Left Ventricular Summit Region Arrhythmias.

BACKGROUND: Coronary venous ethanol ablation (VEA) can be used as a strategy to treat ventricular arrhythmias arising from the left ventricular summit, but collateral flow and technical challenges cannulating intramural veins in complex venous anatomies can limit its use. Advanced techniques for VEA can capitalize on collateral vessels between target and nontarget sites to improve success. METHODS: Of 55 patients with left ventricular summit ventricular arrhythmia, advanced techniques were used in 15 after initial left ventricular summit intramural vein mapping failed to show suitable targets for single vein, single-balloon VEA. All patients had previous radiofrequency ablation attempts. Techniques included: double-balloon for distal protection to block distal flow and target the proximal portion of a large intramural vein where best signal was proximal (n=6); balloons in 2 different left ventricular summit veins for a cross-fire multivein VEA (n=4); intramural collateral vein-to-vein cannulation to reach of targeted vein via collateral with antegrade ethanol and proximal balloon block (n=2); prolonged ethanol dwell time for vein sclerosis of large intramural vein and subsequent VEA (n=3); and intramural collateral VEA (n=1). RESULTS: Fifteen (8 females) patients (age 60.6±17.6 years) required advanced techniques. Procedure time was 210±49.9 minutes, fluoroscopy time was 25.3±14.1 minutes, and 113±17.9 cc of contrast was utilized. A median of 7 cc of ethanol was delivered (range, 4-15 cc). Intraprocedural radiofrequency ablation was delivered before ethanol in 9 out of 15 patients but failed. Ethanol achieved acute success in all 15 patients. Ethanol was used as the sole treatment in two patients. At a median follow-up of 194 days, one patient experienced recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Advanced techniques capitalizing on venous anatomy can enable successful VEA and selective targeting of arrhythmogenic sites, by blocking distal flow, utilization of collaterals between nontarget and target veins and multivein VEA. Understanding individual anatomy is critical for VEA success.

Vascular Age, Metabolic Panel, Cardiovascular Risk and Inflammaging in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis Compared With Patients With Osteoarthritis.

Introduction: The risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is 1.5-2 times higher than the general population. The fundamental risk factor for CVD is age, related to alterations at the arterial level. The aim of the study was to compare vascular age (VA) in RA patients under a strict treat-to-target (T2T) strategy with Osteoarthritis (OA) patients without strict follow up and to assess the influence of inflammaging (chronic, sterile, low-grade inflammation related to aging) and metabolic markers on VA. Materials and Methods: This was an analytical cross-sectional study. Patients with RA (under a strict a T2T strategy) and OA patients without strict clinical follow-up were included. Patients with a history of uncontrolled hypertension, CVD, and/or current smoking were excluded. Sociodemographic, physical activity, and toxic exposure data were obtained. Waist-hip ratio and body mass index (BMI) were measured. DAS-28 (RA) and inflammatory markers, lipid profile, and glycaemia were analyzed. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) was measured (oscillometric method, Arteriograph-TensioMed®). VA was calculated based on PWV. Eleven components of inflammaging [six interleukins, three metalloproteinases (MMP), and two tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP)] were evaluated (Luminex® system). Univariate and bivariate analyzes (Mann Whitney U and chi-square) and correlations (Spearmans Rho) were done to compare the two groups. Results: A total of 106 patients (74% women) were included, 52/RA and 54/OA. The mean age was 57 (Interquartile range - IQR 9 years). The BMI, waist circumference, and weight were higher in patients with OA (p < 0.001). RA patients had low disease activity (DAS-28-CRP). There were no differences in VA, inflammaging nor in PWV between the two groups. VA had a positive, but weak correlation, with age and LDL. In group of RA, VA was higher in those who did not receive methotrexate (p = 0.013). LDL levels correlated with MMP1, TIMP1, and TIMP2. Conclusions: When comparing RA patients with low levels of disease activity with OA patients with poor metabolic control, there are no differences in VA. Furthermore, methotrexate also influences VA in RA patients. This shows that implemented therapies may have an impact on not only the inflammatory state of the joint but also CVD risk.

Intracardiac echocardiography as an adjunctive tool for accessory pathway ablation in Ebstein anomaly.

BACKGROUND: Accessory pathway (AP)-related arrhythmias are frequent in patients with Ebstein anomaly (EA), and arrhythmia recurrence after catheter ablation remains high despite current technological developments. METHODS: Case series report of patients with EA who were taken to an accessory pathway ablation procedure and where clinical, procedure, and follow-up data are described. In all cases, mapping of the true tricuspid annulus guided by intracardiac ultrasound was used. RESULTS: Six patients with EA underwent an ablation procedure using ICE to delineate the true tricuspid annulus. The duration of the procedure was 253.33 ± 60.92 min, with an acute success of 100%. After a mean follow-up of 16.16 ± 7.7 months, no recurrences of tachycardia were documented, and all patients were free of antiarrhythmic medications. CONCLUSION: Intraprocedural ICE helps to delineate the true tricuspid annulus that contains the APs, facilitating mapping and ablation. We hypothesize that the systematic use of ICE in this scenario improves ablation efficacy while reducing complications, but this must be verified in prospective studies.

Implante de un electrodo de estimulación ventricular izquierdo mediante doble canulación del seno coronario, técnica de snare y acceso retrógrado de la vena posterolateral / Implant of a left ventricular pacing electrode by double cannulation of the coronary sinus, snare technique and retrograde access of the posterolateral vein

Resumen El implante percutáneo de un electrodo de estimulación ventricular izquierdo a través del seno coronario para resincronización cardiaca siempre ha implicado un reto y más aún en pacientes con anatomía venosa coronaria compleja. Este caso demuestra cómo una técnica de doble canulación del seno coronario con uso de catéter multi-snare permite la colocación exitosa de un electrodo de estimulación ventricular izquierdo mediante acceso retrógrado a una vena posterolateral estenótica.

Abstract The percutaneous implantation of a left ventricular pacing electrode through the coronary sinus for cardiac resynchronization has always been a challenge, especially in patients with a complex coronary venous anatomy. This case shows how double cannulation of the coronary sinus using a multisnare catheter allows a left ventricular pacing electrode to be placed through retrograde access to a stenotic posterolateral vein, with a good clinical outcome.