Treatment of Symptomatic Functional Atrioventricular Block by Cardioneuroablation as an Alternative to Pacemaker Implantation.

A woman with recurrent presyncope caused by a functional atrioventricular (AV) block after meals, with limiting symptoms, underwent cardioneuroablation and AV node vagal denervation without pacemaker implantation. Normal AV conduction was recovered with complete abolishment of symptoms. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.).

Treatment of symptomatic functional atrioventricular block by cardioneuroablation as an alternative to pacemaker implantation

ABSTRACT: A woman with recurrent presyncope caused by a functional atrioventricular (AV) block after meals, with limiting symptoms, underwent cardioneuroablation and AV node vagal denervation without pacemaker implantation. Normal AV conduction was recovered with complete abolishment of symptoms.

Long-Term Evaluation of the Vagal Denervation by Cardioneuroablation using Holter and Heart Rate Variability

ABSTRACT: Several disorders present reflex or persistent increase in vagal tone that may cause refractory symptoms even in a normal heart patient. Cardioneuroablation (CNA), the vagal denervation by RF ablation of the neuromyocardial interface, was developed to treat these conditions without pacemaker implantation. A theoretical limitation could be the reinnervation, that naturally grows in the first year, that could recover the vagal hyperactivity. This study aims to verify the vagal denervation degree in the chronic phase after CNA. Additionally, it intends to investigate the arrhythmias behavior after CNA. METHODS - prospective longitudinal study with intra-patient comparison of 83 very symptomatic cases without significant cardiopathy, submitted to CNA, 49(59%) male, 47.3±17 years-old, having vagal paroxysmal atrial fibrillation 58(70%) or neurocardiogenic syncope 25(30%), NYHA Class < II and absence of significant comorbidities. CNA was performed in both atria by interatrial septum puncture, with irrigated conventional catheter and electroanatomic reconstruction. Ablation targeted the neuromiocardial interface by fragmentation mapping (AFNests) using the Velocity Fractionation software, conventional recording and anatomical localization of the ganglionated plexi. There were compared the time and frequency domain of the heart rate variability (HRV) and arrhythmias in 24h Holter pre-, 1-year-post- and 2-year-postCNA. Clinical outpatient follow-up and serial Holter showed 80% asymptomatic cases at 40 months. RESULTS - Time and frequency domain HRV demonstrated significant decrease in all autonomic parameters, showing an important parasympathetic and sympathetic activity reduction at 2 yearspost-CNA (p0.05) suggesting that the reinnervation has halted. There was also an important reduction in all brady- and tachyarrhythmias pre- vs. post-CNA, (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS ­ There is an important and significant vagal and sympathetic denervation after 2 years of CAN with a significant reduction in brady and tachyarrhythmia in the whole group. There were no complications.

Long-Term Evaluation of the Vagal Denervation by Cardioneuroablation Using Holter and Heart Rate Variability.

BACKGROUND: Several disorders present reflex or persistent increase in vagal tone that may cause refractory symptoms even in a normal heart patient. Cardioneuroablation, the vagal denervation by radiofrequency ablation of the neuromyocardial interface, was developed to treat these conditions without pacemaker implantation. A theoretical limitation could be the reinnervation, that naturally grows in the first year, that could recover the vagal hyperactivity. This study aims to verify the vagal denervation degree in the chronic phase after cardioneuroablation. Additionally, it intends to investigate the arrhythmias behavior after cardioneuroablation. METHODS: Prospective longitudinal study with intrapatient comparison of 83 very symptomatic cases without significant cardiopathy, submitted to cardioneuroablation, 49 (59%) male, 47.3±17 years old, having vagal paroxysmal atrial fibrillation 58 (70%) or neurocardiogenic syncope 25 (30%), New York Heart Association class0.05) suggesting that the reinnervation has halted. There was also an important reduction in all bradyarrhythmias and tachyarrhythmias pre-cardioneuroablation versus post-cardioneuroablation (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: There is an important and significant vagal and sympathetic denervation after 2 years of cardioneuroablation with a significant reduction in bradyarrhythmia and tachyarrhythmia in the whole group. There were no complications.

Utilidade da estimulação vagal extracardíaca na elucidação de feixes anômalos ocultos durante ablação e estudo eletrofisiológico / Usefulness of extracardiac vagal stimulation in elucidating occult anomalous bundles during ablation and electrophysiological study

Confirmar se a condução ventrículoatrial [CVA] ocorre por via normal ou anômala [VA] é fundamental no diagnóstico e ablação [ABL] de taquicardias supraventriculares [TSV]. Neste estudo propomos uma alternativa de confirmar a presença de VAs ocultas, através da estimulação vagal extracardíaca [EVEC] considerando que esta bloqueia a condução pelo nó AV. MÉTODOS: 26 pcts, 27,9±15anos, 15(57,7%) sexo feminino, portadores de TSV: reentrada nodal [RN] 5(19%) e reentrada AV [RAV] 21(81%) com ou sem pré-excitação, submetidos à ABL por RF. A partir da punção femoral e veias jugulares internas D ou E, um cateter foi avançado até o nível do maxilar superior para EVEC(30Hz/50µs/0,5 a 1V/kg até 70V) sem contato com o vago. A CVA foi testada com e sem EVEC durante estimulação ventricular[EV], pré e pós-ABL. RESULTADOS: Em todos os casos, foi possível obter intensa ação vagal com supressão reversível do nó sinusal e nó AV. Antes da ABL, a CVA estava presente em todos os casos e foi bloqueada pela EVEC apenas nos casos sem VAs. Após a ABL, a CVA foi completamente bloqueada pela EVEC em todos os casos, mas reapareceu em um pct de RN. Em todos pct de RAV, a CVA não foi bloqueada pela EVEC pré-ABL, mas desapareceu ou foi bloqueada pela EVEC pós-ABL (tabela). CONCLUSÃO: O bloqueio da CVA por EVEC sugere ausência ou eliminação com sucesso de vias anômalas. O ressurgimento da CVA resistente à EVEC pós-ABL em uma RN pode ser explicado pela denervação nodal AV pela ABL do 3º gânglio cardíaco durante ABL da via lenta. Estes dados sugerem que a EVEC pode ser muito útil para revelar VAs anômalas septais difíceis que se confundem com a CVA por vias normais. (AU)

Angioplastia coronária em pacientes com infarto do miocárdio e púrpura trombocitopênica idiopática / Coronary angioplasty in a patient with myocardial infarction and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

A púrpura trombocitopênica idiopática (PTI) é um distúrbio autoimune, caracterizado clinicamente por plaquetopenia e sangramentos mucocutâneos. Trata-se de doença rara na população geral e a ocorrência de infarto agudo do miocárdio (IAM) em pacientes com PTI é ainda menos frequente. Neste artigo os autores descrevem um caso com PTI no qual foi praticada angioplastia coronária tranbsluminal na fase evolutiva do IAM.

Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by the presence of thrombocytopenia and mucocutaneous bleeding. It is a rare condition and the occurrence of an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in patients with ITP is even less common. In the present manuscript the authors report a patient with ITP who underwent percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty in the follow-up phase of an AMI.