St. Jude Medical for Medical Professionals

The purpose of the Biocor study was to evaluate the long-term performance of the St. Jude Medical Biocor stented porcine prosthesis in the aortic position.

In this study, researchers looked at the lack of stable access to all desired ablation target sites as one of the limitations for effective circumferential left atrial pulmonary vein ablation.

The purpose of this study was to examine a bipolar screw-in lead (NL), specially designed to reduce unwanted far-field R-wave (FFRW) signal detection in an acute human setting. The results were compared with animal experiments.

Morphology Discrimination (MD) is a rhythm discriminator based on QRS morphology analysis that can be combined with other discriminators like Stability, with or without Sinus Interval History (SIH) and Sudden Onset.

Distal embolic protection devices have been shown to reduce the risk of peri-procedural complications associated with saphenous vein graft intervention. However, there are several important anatomic limitations that may preclude routine device use.

The PAVE trial prospectively compared chronic biventricular pacing to right ventricular pacing in patients undergoing ablation of the AV node for management of atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular rates.

Published Article - Permanent pacing and atrioventricular junction (AVJ) ablation is an effective and established therapy for atrial fibrillation with medically refractory rapid ventricular rates.

An electrophysiological study was performed on a 19-year-old man who presented with atrial fibrillation, ventricular preexcitation, and a rapid ventricular response.

Published Article - Linear left atrial ablation is performed in combination with pulmonary vein (PV) isolation to improve the clinical results of atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation.

Published Article - Uncertainty about the best electrode configuration has combined with the programming flexibility in modern implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) to result in routine polarity reversal during an implant to deal with a high defibrillation threshold (DFT).

Pacing from the right ventricular apex is associated with long-term adverse effects on left ventricular function. This has fuelled interest in alternative pacing sites, especially the septal aspect of the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT).

A superior performance of a tuned waveform based on duration using an assumed cardiac membrane time constant of 3.5 ms and of a 50/50% tilt waveform over a standard 65/65% tilt waveform has been documented before. However, there has been no direct comparison of the tuned versus the 50/50% tilt waveforms.

Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation continued to be the theme of greatest interest at the tenth anniversary meeting of the annual Boston Atrial Fibrillation Symposium, held on January 14–15, 2005. The following is a synopsis of key issues discussed at the symposium.

Intracardiac delay optimization of biventricular and dual-chamber pacing devices currently relies on time-consuming echocardiographic measurements. A novel intracardiac electrogram (IEGM) method for atrioventricular (AV/PV) and interventricular (VV) delay optimization was developed, which can be performed during routine device follow-up.

The purpose of this study was to determine prospectively the effect of chronic amiodarone therapy on the defibrillation energy requirement in patients with an implantable defibrillator.

This review will examine the PFO in detail: its role in the fetal circulation, the formation of the atrial septum, the disease processes felt to be associated with it and their probable mechanisms, current closure techniques, and upcoming trials of these techniques.

Article discussing methods of lowering DFTs patients with high DFTs, including doing so without the need for implanting additional hardware.

The purpose of this study was to assess if microvolt T-wave alternans (MTWA) is an independent predictor of mortality in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy.

We conducted a collaborative cohort study to evaluate the predictive power of microvolt T-wave alternans (TWA) in patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) after myocardial infarction (MI).

The purpose of this study was to prospectively evaluate the utility of microvolt T-wave alternans (TWA) in predicting arrhythmia-free survival and total mortality in patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction.

Lead extraction using the femoral vein is an alternate approach for lead removal. It has often been dubbed “the inferior approach.” This is because today it is often reserved for use only after a failed primary approach via the implant vein. In reality it is the most versatile approach for lead removal.

We analyzed the intermediate experience, survival, and prosthetic complications of patients who received the Biocor valve, a new-generation porcine valve, in the mitral position.

Use of advanced mapping systems, capable of three-dimensional rendering of cardiac chambers and superimposition of electrical information, are not designed to replace conventional mapping techniques but to be used as an adjunctive tool in the analysis and treatment of complex arrhythmias.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of fixed millisecond duration model-optimized biphasic waveforms compared with conventional tilt-based waveforms in patients having a high DFT.

A new insulation material for cardiac leads, a chemical co-polymer of high performance silicone rubber and polyurethane known as SPC™, has shown significant performance and reliability improvements beyond that of currently used insulations.

We hypothesized that decreasing the atrial lead anode to cathode tip-to-ring electrode spacing reduces FFRW sensing.

We compared ablation strategy with antiarrhythmic drug therapy (ADT) in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF)

The Feasibility And Safety Trial for its embolic protection device during transluminal intervention in coronary vessels

The Angio-Seal vascular closure device has been shown to be safe and effective in decreasing the time to hemostasis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The health economic implications of routinely using Angio-Seal after PCI have not been explored.

The aim of this study was to analyze the 8-year experience, survival, prosthetic complications, and hemodynamics of patients who received the Biocor valve, a new-generation tissue valve, in the aortic position.

When it comes to rhythm disorders, many times what is going on in the ventricle has more to do with what's going on in the atrium than any ventricular problem.

In the third installment of the "Troubleshooter's Case Book" series, the author discusses changing guidelines for device implantation.

In the next installment of the "Troubleshooter's Case Book" series, the author examines the clinical studies that have shaped electrophysiology over the years.

The University College of London Hospital’s (UCLH) Heart Hospital is a leader in catheter-based management of atrial fibrillation (AF), experienced in the use of the most advanced navigation, visualization and ablation techniques and technologies available today. They have also proven to be highly beneficial in facilitating treatment of other supraventricular tachycardias (SVTs).

A 70-year-old female presented with fatigue, chest pain and heart palpitations. She had a history of hypertension and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF). Because of her ongoing fatigue symptoms, it was determined that a pacemaker would be necessary to manage both her atrial fibrillation and sinus nodal dysfunction.