Ventricular pacemaker lead in the left hemithorax: Mechanisms and evidence-based management of a late-onset hazardous complication

Late-onset migration of pacing leads in the left hemithorax is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication. Radiological examinations are required to detect any involvement of either left ventricle or lung parenchyma, prompting immediate surgical extraction in this setting. Identification of high-risk patients is mandatory to prevent this complex iatrogenic complication

Procedural Feasibility and Long-Term Efficacy of Catheter Ablation of Atypical Atrial Flutters in a Wide Spectrum of Heart Diseases: An Updated Clinical Overview

Atypical atrial flutters (AAFL) are difficult-to-manage atrial arrhythmias, yet potentially amenable to effective radiofrequency catheter ablation (CA). However, data on CA feasibility are only sparingly reported in the literature in different clinical settings, such as AAFL related to surgical correction of congenital heart disease. The aim of this review was to provide an overview of the clinical settings in which AAFL may occur to help the cardiac electrophysiologist in the prediction of the tachycardia circuit location before CA. Moreover, the role and proper implementation of cutting-edge technologies in this setting were investigated as well as which procedural and clinical factors are associated with long-term failure to maintain sinus rhythm (SR) to find out which patients may, or may not, benefit from this procedure. Not only different surgical and non-surgical scenarios are associated with peculiar anatomical location of AAFL, but we also found that CA of AAFL is generally feasible. The success rate may be as low as 50% in surgically corrected congenital heart disease (CHD) patients but up to about 90% on average after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) or in patients without structural heart disease. Over the years, the progressive implementation of three-dimensional mapping systems and high-density mapping tools has also proved helpful for ablation of these macro-reentrant circuits. However, the long-term maintenance of SR may still be suboptimal due to the progressive electroanatomic atrial remodeling occurring after cardiac surgery or other interventional procedures, thus limiting the likelihood of successful ablation in specific clinical settings

Advanced Cardiac Signal Recording

Implantable loop recorders allow prolonged and continuous single-lead electrocardiogram recording, with the pivotal addition of remote monitoring. They have significantly shortened time to electrocardiographic diagnosis and appropriate therapy of many bradyarrhythmias/tachyarrhythmias and proved helpful in arrhythmia burden definition, offering invaluable information in the diagnostic workup for syncope and atrial fibrillation. Advanced cardiac signal recording is also possible by transesophageal catheters. They have been used to orient diagnosis during wide and narrow QRS complex tachycardias and also to perform minimally invasive pacing. Intracardiac electrophysiologic study remains, however, essential for diagnosis of several arrhythmias in the perspective of curative catheter ablation

Efficacy and safety of cryoablation of para-Hisian and mid-septal accessory pathways using a specific protocol: single-center experience in consecutive patients

Purpose: Radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation of para-Hisian (P-H) and mid-septal (M-S) accessory pathways (APs) is a potentially harmful procedure due to their close location to the A-V node. Conversely, cryoablation (CA) appears safer in this setting. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of CA of these APs using a specific protocol. Methods: Fifty-three patients undergoing CA for P-H (45) or M-S (8) APs were included. CA was performed with a 4-mm catheter at 12 75 \ub0C for 480 s in the site where conduction block over the AP was obtained by a specific cryomapping protocol. Optimal catheter-tissue contact was achieved by inferior or superior vena cava approach. In case of failure, a 6-mm catheter and/or trans-septal catheterization (TSC) were considered. Normal AV conduction was monitored throughout CA, which was interrupted in case of its inadvertent modifications. Results: In 46 patients (87%), CA was successful. Reasons for failure were as follows: lack of AP interruption (3 patients), intraprocedure AP conduction resumption (3), or transient A-H interval prolongation (1). Failure was associated with more aggressive approach including multiple procedures, greater use of 6-mm catheters, TSC, and longer CA applications. No major complications were observed. Three out of 46 patients (6.5%) experienced relapse of AP conduction during follow-up and were successfully re-treated by CA. Conclusions: CA of P-H and M-S APs is highly safe and effective and a specific protocol for cryomapping and CA could lead to a low recurrence rate at follow-up

Atypical Cases of Typical Atrial Flutter? A Case Study

: Ablation of typical atrial flutter has a high safety and efficacy profile, but hidden pitfalls may be encountered. In some cases, a longer cycle length with isoelectric lines is associated with a different or more complex arrhythmogenic substrate, which may be missed if conduction block of the cavotricuspid isthmus is performed in the absence of the clinical arrhythmia. Prior surgery may have consistently modified the atrial substrate and complex or multiple arrhythmias associated with an isthmus-dependent circuit can be encountered. In these cases, electroanatomic mapping is useful to guide the procedure and plan an appropriate ablation strategy

Development of simulation combining a physical heart model and three-dimensional system for electrophysiology training

Background: A new three-dimensional heart anatomical simulator (3D HAS) has been created combining a physical heart model with an electroanatomic mapping (EAM) system. The aim of this study is to describe the development and the validation process of this device. Methods: We developed the 3D HAS combining a physical heart model with an EAM system. This simulator was then validated by 10 electrophysiologists, subdivided in two groups based on their experience in electrophysiology procedures. The performance of the experts was compared to the one of the novices in achieving three different tasks: fluoroless reconstruction of the right atrium, coronary sinus cannulation, and deployment of a linear ablation lesion in the cavotricuspid isthmus. For each operator, a score was calculated based on objective parameter for each task and for the overall performance. Results: The 3D HAS was located in an environment that allowed use of the main features of the EAM system including contact force sensing. No technical issue was encountered during the validation process. The experts\u2019 performance was significantly better than the one of the novices both overall (P = 0.009) and in each task (right atrium reconstruction, P = 0.016; coronary sinus cannulation, P = 0.008; ablation lesion, P = 0.03). Conclusions: The 3D HAS is reliable and allows use of the main features of an EAM system in the right atrium. The ability to discriminate different levels of experience suggests that this simulator is enough realistic and could be useful for electrophysiology training