Electroanatomic versus fluoroscopic mapping for catheter ablation procedures: a prospective randomized study

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this prospective randomized study was to compare the routine use of electroanatomic imaging (CARTO) with that of conventional fluoroscopically guided activation mapping (conventional) in an unselected population referred for catheter ablation. We sought to compare the two approaches with respect to procedure outcome and duration, radiation exposure, and cost. Methods AND RESULTS: All patients undergoing catheter ablation (with the exception of complete AV nodal ablation) were prospectively randomized to either a CARTO or conventional procedure for mapping and ablation. One hundred two patients were randomized. Acute procedural success was similar with either strategy (CARTO vs conventional 43/47 vs 51/55, P > 0.5), as was procedure duration (144 [58] vs 125 [48] min, P = 0.07 (mean [SD]). CARTO was associated with a substantial reduction in fluoroscopy time (9.3 [7.6] vs 28.8 [19.5] min, P < 0.001) and radiation dose (6.2 [6.1] vs 20.8 [32.7] Gray, P = 0.003). CARTO cases used fewer catheters (2.5 [0.7] vs 4.4 [1.1], P < 0.001), but catheter costs were higher (13.8 vs 9.3 units, P < 0.001, where one unit is equivalent to the cost of a nonsteerable quadripolar catheter). CONCLUSION: For all catheter ablation procedures, even when a center's "learning curve" for CARTO is included, procedure duration and outcome are similar for CARTO and conventional procedures. CARTO is associated with drastically reduced fluoroscopy time and radiation dose. Although fewer catheters are used with CARTO, catheter costs remain higher.     

心内电生理检查时经胸二维超声心动图的临床应用研究

目的　评价经胸二维超声心动图 (TTE)引导电极导管置放的可行性。方法　 30例顺序行心内电生理检查 (EPS)的患者 ,分别以TTE(A组 ,1 5例 )和 X线 (B组 ,1 5例 )作为影像学导引 ,放置右室电极导管、希氏束电极导管和右房电极导管。结果　 TTE引导患者 1 5例行 EPS全部成功 (成功率 1 0 0 % ) ,B组 X线引导到位成功率 1 0 0 % (P>0 .0 5) ,A、B两组操作时间分别为 1 0 .0± 5.6min和 6.7± 2 .5min(P<0 .0 1 ) ,X线曝光时间 A、B二组分别为 2 .4± 1 .7min和 6.7± 2 .5 min(P<0 .0 0 1 )。结论　 TTE可成功地作为影像学导引替代 X线透视进行 EPS。     

X线透视引导下肠内营养管置入的临床分析

目的 探讨X线透视引导下肠内营养管置入的临床效果。方法从该院2013年9月—2014年9月收治的需接受肠内营养支持的患者中随机选择103例进行研究,给予X线透视引导置入肠内营养管。观察肠内营养管的一次置管成功率和平均置管操作时间以及并发症发生情况,并进行分析。结果 103例患者均一次置管成功,一次置管成功率为100.0%,平均操作置管时间（7.92±0.25）min。经统计,在置管过程中,一共有6例患者诉鼻咽部不适,置管结束后均消失,未给予特殊处理。所有患者均未出现会厌功能紊乱、误插、吸入性肺炎、心律失常等并发症。结论 X线透视下引导置入肠内营养管可以达到良好的一次成功置管效果,置管操作时间短,并发症少,具有良好的临床应用效果。     

空气灌肠整复小儿肠套叠的临床体会

目的 探讨空气灌肠整复小儿肠套叠的临床价值。方法 对河南省周口市中医院83例空气灌肠整复小儿肠套叠进行回顾性分析。结果83例肠套叠患儿,经空气灌肠复位77例,成功率92.7%,整复失败6例。结论 小儿肠套叠空气灌肠治疗的选择及复位成功率的高低,关键在于早期诊断,套叠时间越短,肠坏死几率越低,整复成功率越高。空气灌肠整复小儿肠套叠具有操作方便,安全性高,创伤小,成功率高等优点,避免了一系列手术治疗并发症。     

双能X线骨密度仪检查及数字化X线摄影术用于骨搬移术后

目的 观察骨搬移术后应用双能X线骨密度仪（DEXA）检查及数字化X线摄影术（DR）的价值。方法 对19例因胫骨外伤致感染性骨不连及大面积骨缺损接受胫骨搬移术患者分别于术后2、4、6及8周、停止搬移即刻、停止搬移后4、8周、去外固定架前4周及去外固定架即刻行DEXA和DR检查,观察不同时间点胫骨搬移区新生骨痂（BMD_新生骨痂）和截骨上下端原骨质骨密度（BMD_{截骨上下端}）及二者比率,分析DR图像中胫骨新生骨痂的形态及填充量。结果 胫骨搬移术术后各时间点BMD_新生骨痂、BMD_{截骨上下端}及BMD比率总体差异均有统计学意义（P均<0.05）。BMD_新生骨痂及BMD比率在术后2周分别为（0.07±0.01） g/cm²及（5.56±1.24）%,且均随术后时间延长而升高（P均<0.05）;BMD_{截骨上下端}在术后2周为（1.21±0.07） g/cm²,随时间延长而降低,去外固定架前4周降至最低（P均<0.05）、去外固定架即刻有所升高但与前者差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。DR显示,术后4周胫骨搬移始区见新生骨痂影,随时间延长而呈多形态变化;术后2周胫骨搬移区未见新生骨痂填充,至停止搬移即刻新生骨痂填充量达25%,停止搬移4、8周达50%、75%,去外固定架前4周基本达100%。结论 DEXA能动态监测骨搬移术后搬移区新生骨痂及截骨端原骨质BMD;DR可显示新生骨痂形态变化;骨搬移术后联合应用二者有助于评估预后。     

Fluoroscopically guided balloon dilatation for the treatment of achalasia: long‐term outcomes

To report the immediate and long‐term outcomes following the fluoroscopically guided balloon dilatations performed in our department for the treatment of achalasia. We reviewed retrospectively all patients that underwent a fluoroscopically guided balloon dilatation because of achalasia in our department between April 2007 and September 2010. The follow‐up was performed by interviews and/or investigation of the patient's medical and imaging records. The primary endpoints of the study were technical success, clinical success, major complication rates, and repeat dilatation rates because of recurrence of clinical symptomatology. Secondary endpoints were the rate of minor complications and the dilatation‐free interval. Various parameters that could affect the clinical outcome were also analyzed. Thirty‐nine consecutive patients (20 female) with a mean age 44 ± 17 years underwent 69 dilatations, while 10/39 (25.6%) patients had a history of a previous laparoscopic myotomy. The most common symptom was dysphagia (64/69, 92.7%), while regurgitation and/or retrosternal pain were present in 12/39 (30.7%) and 9/39 (23%) of the cases, respectively. Technical success was achieved in 98.5% (68/69). There were no procedure‐related major complications. The mean balloon diameter used was 30 ± 3.9 mm, and the mean period of follow‐up was 27.7 ± 16.0 months. Excellent or good initial responses were noted in 54/66 cases (81.8%). A repeated dilatation to deal with recurrence of symptoms was performed in 69.4% of the cases (25/36). In the majority of the cases, two dilatations were needed in order to achieve long‐term relief from symptoms. A dilatation‐free interval of 4 years was observed in 26.4%. Clinical success was achieved in 30/36 patients (83.3%). Subgroup analysis did not detect significantly different recurrence rates in patients with and without previous laparoscopic myotomy (50% vs. 69% respectively), those of young age (75% < 21 years vs. 68.8% > 21 years), and male gender (71.4% male vs. 55.0% females). The high redilatation rate was attributed to the utilization of smaller balloons by less experienced operators. Fluoroscopically guided balloon dilatation is a safe and effective method for the treatment of achalasia. Young age and prior Heller's laparoscopic myotomy were not associated with increased rates of recurrence rate or clinical failure.     

Imaging techniques in cardiac electrophysiology

Modern cardiac electrophysiology procedures include catheter-based arrhythmia ablation and transvenous device implantation, which are highly dependent on accurate, real-time cardiac imaging. With the realization that anatomic structures are critical to successful electrophysiologic procedures, accurately defining a patient’s cardiac anatomy has become more important. Fluoroscopy allows for 2D imaging of cardiac structures in real-time, and is used to guide catheter and lead placement, but does not allow for visualization of soft tissues. Intracardiac echocardiography allows for both direct visualization of anatomic structures within the heart and real-time imaging during catheter placement. Despite advances in intracardiac echocardiography catheters that allow for larger windows, the ability to accurately delineate anatomic structures depends on the patient’s anatomy and operator experience. Neither of these techniques allows for electrical mapping of the heart; however, both anatomic and electrical intracardiac mapping can be achieved with advanced mapping systems. These systems allow for real-time catheter localization, help elucidate cardiac anatomy, evaluate electrical activation during arrhythmias and guide catheter placement for deliverance of radiofrequency current. More recently, 3D cardiac computed tomography has been used to accurately define intracardiac anatomy; however, catheter tracking and electrical mapping cannot be performed by computed tomography. Mapping systems are now being merged with computed tomography images to produce an accurate anatomic and electrical map of the heart to guide catheter ablations. The objective of this paper is to describe the current imaging and mapping techniques used in electrophysiologic procedures.     

Three-dimensional knee analyzer validation by simple fluoroscopic study

Introduction: The complexity of the knee articulation makes its clinical evaluation extremely difficult. Insufficiency of existing instruments for knee evaluation prevents physicians from providing a diagnosis of injury and/or an evaluation of different treatments. To this end, our research group has developed a functional knee analyzer, which allows a three-dimensional evaluation of the knee in motion. The goal of this study is to scientifically validate the functional knee analyzer before using it in clinical setting. Materials and methods: The three-dimensional knee analyzer includes an orthoplastic exoskeleton attachment system, a kinematic tracking device, a screen for graphical display and a C⁺⁺ program with a user interface for calculating kinematic indices. A fluoroscopic study was performed on five healthy subjects with a mean age of 28. The experiment was set-up to determine the reduction of skin movement with respect to the underlying bone by using a knee exoskeleton attachment system. The root mean square (RMS) errors of markers movement about the abduction-X (RMSRx) and tibial rotation-Z (RMSRz) axes and displacement in the XZ plane (RMSpxpz) were calculated, once by placing markers directly on the skin and once on the exoskeleton attachment system. Results: Our results demonstrated that RMSpxpz, RMSRx and RMSRz were reduced by a factor of 6 (min 1.8, max 26), 4.3 (min 0.75, max 21) and 6.2 (min 2, max 26.4) on average, respectively, for four subjects out of five when the exoskeleton attachment was used.