Adam Riba

Cardiac resynchronization therapy device with defibrillator (CRT-D) implantation is indicated for patients with a history of malignant ventricular arrhythmias, symptomatic heart failure, wide QRS, or high-degree atrioventricular block. A 67-year-old patient with dilated cardiomyopathy received a CRT-D with the conventional method but 1 month later skin necrosis was diagnosed above the device. The complete system was extracted from the patient and we utilized negative pressure wound therapy for the treatment of the remaining tissue. We decided to perform surgical reimplantation of the device using minithoracotomy: right atrial and right ventricular leads were introduced through the right atrial appendage and the left ventricular lead was inserted transapically. The device was implanted under the less scabby abdominal skin. We successfully applied the combination of transatrial and transapical lead placement, which has not been reported in the literature yet. It serves as an alternative method if the standard approach is not feasible.

Introduction: According to the current clinical guidelines, CRT-D implantation is indicated for patients with history of malignant ventricular arrhythmias, symptomatic heart failure, wide QRS or high-degree AV block. Case presentation: A patient with DCM received a CRT-D with the conventional method but 1 month later skin necrosis was diagnosed above the device. We believed, that the 40 years old burn injury was the reason for the necrosis, resulted from the altered microcirculation of the skin. The complete system was extracted from the patient and we utilized negative pressure wound therapy for the treatment of the remaining tissue. We decided to perform surgical reimplantation of the device using mini thoracotomy: right atrial and right ventricular leads were introduced through the right atrial appendage and the left ventricular lead was inserted transapically. The device was implanted under the less scabby abdominal skin. 6 weeks later there was no sign of other complications and the surgical wounds were healed completely.Conclusions: We successfully applied the combination of trans-atrial and trans-apical lead placement, which has not been reported in the literature yet. It serves as an alternative method, if the standard approach is not feasible.

Összefoglaló. A ritmuszavarok előfordulása gyakoribb a terhes nők esetén, mint a nem várandósok körében. A legtöbb esetben terápiás beavatkozás nélkül is kihordható a magzat. Hemodinamikai instabilitás és magzatkárosodáshoz vezető fetalis hypoperfusio jöhet létre, amennyiben tartós, magas kamrai frekvenciával járó epizódok jelentkeznek. Ezekben az esetekben a ritmuszavar megszüntetése indokolttá válhat. Az antiarrhythmiás gyógyszerek korlátozottan és nagy körültekintéssel alkalmazhatók a gyermeket várók körében, így a katéterablatio jelenthet biztonságos és használható alternatívát. Ezen beavatkozásokat hagyományosan röntgensugár segítségével végzik, ez azonban az ionizáló sugárzásnak a magzati fejlődésre gyakorolt hatása miatt magas rizikót jelentene. Több éve elérhető a szív-elektrofiziológiában az ún. zéró fluoroszkópiás ablatio, mely a pitvarfibrilláció kezelésében és más ritmuszavarok esetében egyaránt alkalmazható. A terheseknél alkalmazott eljárást két eseten keresztül mutatjuk be. A röntgensugár használatát, a jelen cikkben bemutatott beavatkozások esetén is, sikerült teljesen kiküszöbölnünk. Az első, 23 hetes gravid páciensnél recidív paroxysmalis supraventricularis tachycardia miatt végeztünk elektrofiziológiai vizsgálatot. E vizsgálat során atrioventricularis nodalis reentry tachycardiát igazoltunk és abláltunk sikerrel. Második esetbemutatásunkban egy anteroseptalis járulékos köteg katéterablatiós megoldását mutatjuk be. A terhesség során jelentkező, az anyára és/vagy magzatára veszélyt jelentő ritmuszavar esetén a háromdimenziós térképező rendszer (szükség esetén intracardialis ultrahangvizsgálattal kiegészítve) biztonságos és hatásos alternatívát jelent, olyan esetekben, ha röntgensugár nem használható. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(41): 1643–1651. Summary. Arrhythmias are more common in pregnant women than in others. In most cases, the fetus can be delivered without therapeutic intervention. Hemodynamic instability and fetal hypoperfusion leading to fetal harm may occur if persistent episodes of high ventricular rate occur. In these cases, resolution of the arrhythmia may be advised. Antiarrhythmic drugs can be used with limitations and great caution in those expecting a child, so catheter ablation may be a safe and usable alternative. These interventions are traditionally performed using X-ray, however, due to the effect of ionizing radiation on fetal development, this would pose a high risk. Zero-fluoroscopic ablation has been available for several years in cardiac electrophysiology, which can be used both in the treatment of atrial fibrillation and in other arrhythmias. The procedure which we used in pregnant women is presented in two cases. We also managed to completely eliminate the use of X-ray during the interventions presented in this article. In the first case, a 23-week-old gravid patient underwent electrophysiological examination for recurrent paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. In the electrophysiological study, atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia was confirmed and successfully ablated. In our second case study, we present a catheter ablation for anteroseptal accessory pathway. Three-dimensional mapping system (supplemented with intracardiac ultrasound, if necessary), in the case of significant arrhythmia, is a safe and effective alternative where X-rays, which poses a risk to the mother and/or the fetus, cannot be used during pregnancy. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(41): 1643–1651.

Objective: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is the cornerstone of the interventional treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF). Traditionally, during these procedures the catheters are guided by fluoroscopy, which poses a risk to the patient and staff by ionizing radiation. Our aim was to describe our experience in the implementation of an intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) guided zero fluoroscopic (ZF) ablation approach to our routine clinical practice. Methods: We developed a simplified ICE guided technique to perform ablation procedures for AF, with the aid of a 3D electroanatomical mapping system. The workflow was implemented in two phases: (1) the Introductory phase, where the first 16 ZF PVIs were compared with 16 cases performed with fluoroscopy and (2) the Extension phase, where 71 consecutive patients (including repeat procedures) with ZF approach were included. Standard PVI (and redoPVI) procedures were performed, data on feasibility of the ZF approach, complications, acute and 1-year success rates were collected. Results: In the Introductory phase, 94% of the procedures could be performed with complete ZF with a median procedure time of 77.5 (73.5–83) minutes. In one case fluoroscopy was used to guide the ICE catheter to the atrium. There was no difference in the complication, acute and 1-year success rates, compared with fluoroscopy guided procedures. In the Extension phase, 97% of the procedures could be completed with complete ZF. In one case fluoroscopy was used to guide the transseptal puncture and in another to position the ICE catheter. Acute success of PVI was achieved in all cases, 64.4% patients were arrhythmia free at 1-year. Acute major complications were observed in 4 cases, all of these occurred in the redo PVI group and consisted of 2 tamponades, 1 transient ischemic attack and 1 pseudoaneurysm at the puncture site. The procedures were carried out by all members of the electrophysiology unit in the Extension phase, including less experienced operators and electrophysiology fellows (3 physicians) under the supervision of the senior electrophysiologist. Consequently, procedure times became longer [90 (75–105) vs 77.5 (73.5–85) min, p = 0.014]. Conclusions: According to our results, a ZF workflow of AF ablations can be successfully implemented into the routine practice of an electrophysiology laboratory, without compromising safety and effectivity.

Despite great advances in therapies observed during the last decades, heart failure (HF) remained a major health problem in western countries. In order to further improve symptoms and survival in patients with heart failure, novel therapeutic strategies are needed. In some animal models of HF resveratrol (RES), it was able to prevent cardiac hypertrophy, contractile dysfunction, and remodeling. Several molecular mechanisms are thought to be involved in its protective effects, such as inhibition of prohypertrophic signaling molecules, improvement of myocardial Ca²⁺ handling, regulation of autophagy, and the reduction of oxidative stress and inflammation. In our present study, we wished to further examine the effects of RES on prosurvival (Akt‐1, GSK‐3β) and stress signaling (p38‐MAPK, ERK 1/2, and MKP‐1) pathways, on oxidative stress (iNOS, COX‐2 activity, and ROS formation), and ultimately on left ventricular function, hypertrophy and fibrosis in a murine, and isoproterenol‐ (ISO‐) induced postinfarction heart failure model. RES treatment improved left ventricle function, decreased interstitial fibrosis, cardiac hypertrophy, and the level of plasma BNP induced by ISO treatment. ISO also increased the activation of P38‐MAPK, ERK1/2^{Thr183-Tyr185}, COX‐2, iNOS, and ROS formation and decreased the phosphorylation of Akt‐1, GSK‐3β, and MKP‐1, which were favorably influenced by RES. According to our results, regulation of these pathways may also contribute to the beneficial effects of RES in HF.