To optimize the effectiveness and safety of pulmonary vein isolation, pulsed-field ablation (PFA) and high-power short-duration ablation (HPSD) have recently been incorporated into clinical practice. The objective of this study is to conduct a comparative analysis, focusing on the efficacy, safety, and procedural efficiency of PFA and HPSD in the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF).

Temporary transvenous pacing (TTP) is a common procedure, predominantly performed in the catheterization laboratory (cath lab) because of presumed lower complication rate. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TTP placement in the ICU compared to TTP placement in the cath lab.

An indicator of successful cryoballoon (CB)-assisted pulmonary vein (PV) isolation is complete PV occlusion. However, CBs may exhibit a weaker freezing effect on the equatorial plane. This study investigates the predictors of failed left superior PV (LSPV) isolation despite complete occlusion with novel CBs.

Conduction system pacing (CSP) has been reported to improve clinical outcomes in comparison of right ventricular pacing (RVP). However, the performance between CSP and RVP on the risk of new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) remains elusive.

This study aimed to compare inappropriate shock (IAS) rates between subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (S-ICD) and transvenous ICD (TV-ICD) in Brugada syndrome (BrS) patients and identify risk factors for IAS in S-ICD use.

Neither the actual in vivo tissue temperatures reached with a novel contact force sensing catheter with a mesh-shaped irrigation tip (TactiFlex SE, Abbott) nor the safety profile has been elucidated.

Globally, the number of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) is increasing. In our study, we aimed to investigate whether CHADS-VASc and RCHADS-VASc scores are predictive of CIED-related complications.

The Vizigo sheath, a novel visualizable steerable sheath, has been utilized effectively in the clinical management of atrial fibrillation. However, its application in the ablation of typical atrial flutter (AFL) remains unexplored. This study aims to evaluate and compare the efficacy and safety of the Vizigo sheath against a conventional fixed sheath during catheter ablation for typical AFL.

This case details the successful implantation of a leadless pacemaker following the extraction of transvenous leads in a 72-year-old female patient with a complex cardiovascular history. The patient had undergone a series of cardiac interventions, including a recent percutaneous tricuspid valve repair with a metal clip implant due to severe regurgitation. After presenting with an infection at the pacemaker site, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus hominis was identified, necessitating the removal of the entire pacing system. A leadless pacemaker was subsequently implanted without complications, despite the recent tricuspid valve repair. This case highlights the efficacy and safety of leadless pacemakers in complex clinical scenarios, especially when traditional transvenous systems are no longer viable due to infections or other complications. The report underscores the importance of personalized management strategies for cardiac device infections, illustrating that leadless pacemakers offer a feasible and safe alternative even in patients with previous valvular interventions. SUMMARY: The increasing rate of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED) implantations and of CIED-related complications highlight the importance of transvenous lead extraction (TLE). TLE scenario is constantly evolving and it is a key procedure in lead management strategies. Leadless pacemaker (LP) implant is an effective and safe procedure in patients still requiring a ventricular pacing after TLE, with similar electrical performance and outcome compared with naïve patients at long-term follow-up. LPs represent an innovative and feasible option even in specific situations such as after transcatheter tricuspid valve repair.

Concurrent Micra leadless pacemaker (Medtronic, Minneapolis, Minnesota) implantation and atrioventricular node (AVN) ablation has been shown to be feasible and safe in patients with symptomatic, drug-refractory atrial fibrillation (AF). However, major complications within the 30 days after concurrent Micra implantation and AVN ablation have been reported. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of the concurrent procedure at our institution.

The IntellaNav MiFi OI catheter (MiFi) is equipped with a sensor for local impedance (LI) monitoring and three mini-electrodes. In this study, we investigated the target LI values for a successful pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) under the pacing and ablation technique using the MiFi catheter.

As pulsed-field ablation (PFA) emerges as a promising therapy for atrial arrhythmias, an understanding of the cellular injury to cardiac tissue is critical to evaluating and interpreting results for each PFA system. This review aims to detail the mechanism of cell death for PFA, compare the cell death mechanism to thermal ablation modalities, clarify common histology markers, detail the progression of PFA lesions from the acute, to subacute, to chronic maturation states, and discuss clinical indicators of PFA lesions.

Ultrasound (US)-guided axillary vein puncture is a safe and effective approach for cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) implantation, and it is highly recommended by the current consensus document. However, only reports on small populations are available in the current literature regarding the comparison of this technique with other traditional approaches (subclavian vein blind puncture and cephalic vein surgical cutdown).

We present the case of a 64-year-old man who, during the implantation of an active-fixation leadless pacemaker (LP, Aveir VR, Abbott, USA), underwent several external defibrillation shocks up to 240 Joules, due to symptomatic sustained supraventricular tachycardia at 160 bpm. The shocks, delivered both before and after the screwing of the device in the low interventricular septum, did not cause any technical damage to the device, and no complications were observed. The device was then deployed successfully. To our knowledge, this is the first documented case of external cardioversion (ECV) in a patient with an active-fixation LP. The results suggest that ECV in these patients appears to be safe and feasible.

The evidence in the primary prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD) by using implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) is well-established but remains controversial for those with nonischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM). This study evaluates whether prognostic differences exist between ICM and NICM patients after ICD implantation.

Cryoballoon ablation has been widely performed in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF). In some challenging pulmonary veins (PVs), the procedure requires additional touch-up applications against the residual conduction gaps. It implies that there could exist difficult sites to cover with standard cryoballoon applications (CBAs), resulting in resistant conduction gaps (RCGs). This study aims to characterize the RCGs after initial CBAs.

Leadless pacing technology now includesdedicated atrial helix-fixation leadless pacemakers (LPs), expanding theapplication of leadless devices for patients with sinus node dysfunction andatrioventricular block during sinus rhythm. This first reportedcase-series of atrial LPs describes and discusses the potential use-casescenarios of recently approved helix-fixation atrial LPs. The article highlights important concepts regarding their use, including implantationtechniques, programming, battery conservation, and the low rate of progressionof AV block in patients implanted with AAI(R) pacemakers.

Transvenous extraction of the leads in children is associated with a higher risk of serious complications, that is why it is reluctantly performed. Unfortunately, this conservative approach has been associated with secondary complications (tricuspid valve dysfunction and bilateral venous obstruction), adverse events during lead removal procedure and recanalization and stenting of chest veins. We present a case of a 27-year-old female with a pacemaker and insertion of two new leads on the opposite side of the chest leaving the old ones in place.

Interventricular dyssynchrony derived from the classic non-physiological stimulation (n-PS) of the right ventricle (RV) is a known cause of left ventricular dysfunction (LVDys).

Reel's syndrome (RS) is an unusual cause of pacemaker lead dislodgement. We present the case of a 59-year-old female patient with Down syndrome (DS) implanted with a dual-chamber endovascular pacemaker due to symptomatic sinus node disfunction, reporting several syncopal episodes in last days and showing abnormal electrical parameters at the 2-months follow-up due to RS. The malfunctioning device was removed and an endocardial leadless pacing system was implanted.