BACKGROUNDIt is unclear whether a history of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) would impact the effect of catheter ablation on persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). This study aimed to compare the effect of catheter ablation on persistent AF with and without a history of PAF.

METHODSOne hundred and eighty-three patients underwent catheter ablation of persistent AF lasting for > 1 month and were reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups according to whether they had a history of PAF or not. Group I consisted of persistent AF patients with a history of PAF, and group II consisted of persistent AF patients without such a history. All patients received catheter ablation focused on pulmonary vein isolation and were observed for arrhythmia recurrences, which were defined as documented episodes of AF or atrial tachycardia after a blanking period of 3 months.

RESULTSOne hundred and three patients (60.9%) in group I and sixty-six patients (39.1%) in group II were successfully followed and included in analysis. There were no significant differences in clinical and echocardiographic characteristics between both groups except for a younger age and more male patients in group II. After (15.5 ± 10.7) months of follow-up, 59 (57.3%) patients in group I and 49 (74.2%) patients in group II maintained sinus rhythm free of anti-arrhythmia drugs (P = 0.025). Multivariate analyses found left atrial anteroposterior diameter (P = 0.006) and persistent AF with a history of PAF (OR 1.792, 95%CI 1.019 - 3.152; P = 0.043) as the only independent statistical predictors of arrhythmia recurrences.

CONCLUSIONThe arrhythmia recurrence rate of catheter ablation based on pulmonary vein isolation in persistent AF with a history of PAF was higher than those without a history of PAF.

Adult ; Aged ; Atrial Fibrillation ; surgery ; Catheter Ablation ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Pulmonary Veins ; surgery ; Recurrence

BACKGROUNDThe optimal endpoint for catheter ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) remains ambiguous. This study investigated the impact of AF termination as a procedural endpoint and the termination mode on long-term clinical outcome.

METHODSTwo hundred and ninety-three patients who underwent stepwise ablation for persistent AF were categorized into the AF termination by ablation group and into the electrical cardioversion (CV) group. Subgroups were also analyzed based on different termination modes. Follow-up assessment included early recurrence and sinus rhythm (SR) maintenance.

RESULTSDuring initial ablation, 33 patients (11.3%) were directly converted to SR, 166 patients (56.7%) were converted to atrial tachycardia (AT) that subsequently restored SR with further ablation in 98 patients (33.4%), and a total of 162 patients (55.3%) underwent cardioversion due to persistent atrial arrhythmias. Comparison between termination by ablation and termination by cardioversion in patients exhibiting AF or AT revealed that no significant difference was observed in early recurrence (38.2% vs. 43.8%, P = 0.328) and SR maintenance (67.2% vs. 59.8%, P = 0.198) during the (23 ± 7) months follow-up. Even after repeat ablation, the SR maintenance continued to exhibit no statistical difference in above two groups (72.5% vs. 70.4%, P = 0.686). Further analysis of subgroups, however, demonstrated that patients with AF terminated directly to SR experienced better clinical outcomes than other subgroups (P < 0.05). Furthermore, atrial arrhythmias present during ablation have been implicated in prediction of recurrence mode: AF or AT (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSTermination as a procedural endpoint is not associated with favorable long-term SR maintenance in persistent AF. AF methods that convert arrhythmia directly to SR have, however, been linked with improved clinical outcomes, although conversions to AT may not be correlated. Atrial arrhythmias observed during the ablation may be used to predict the recurrence mode.

Adult ; Aged ; Atrial Fibrillation ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Catheter Ablation ; methods ; Electrophysiologic Techniques, Cardiac ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

Catheter Ablation ; methods ; Heart Atria ; surgery ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; surgery ; Humans ; Postoperative Complications ; prevention & control ; Tachycardia, Supraventricular ; prevention & control

BACKGROUNDExtensive atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation is associated with an increased success rate of catheter ablation in chronic AF patients and an increased rate of atrial tachycardia (AT) during the procedure. The mechanism of these ATs varies in previous studies. Our study aimed to report the mechanism of organized AT occurring during the stepwise ablation procedure of chronic AF.

METHODSA prospective cohort of 86 consecutive patients who underwent an ablation procedure for chronic atrial fibrillation (CAF) was investigated. The stepwise procedure was performed in the following order: circumferential pulmonary vein ablation, complex fractionated atrial electrograms ablation, mapping and ablation of AT. The endpoint was noninducibility of AF/AT after sinus rhythm (SR) was restored or the procedure time was beyond 6 hours.

RESULTSSixty-nine (80%) of patients converted to SR via AT. A total of 179 sustained ATs were observed in 69 patients during the procedure. There were 81% (n = 145) macroreentrant ATs which included 65 perimitral circuits, 48 peritricuspid tachycardia and 32 roof dependent circuits, 12% (n = 21) localized reentrant and 7% (n = 13) focal ATs. Thirty (15%) patients experienced significant left atrium (LA) and LA appendage (LAA) conduction delay or dissociation in the procedure or during the follow-up period.

CONCLUSIONSMost CAF patients converted to SR via ablation of organized AT occurring during the stepwise procedure. The mechanism of most of these ATs was macro-reentry.

Aged ; Atrial Fibrillation ; surgery ; Catheter Ablation ; methods ; Electrophysiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Tachycardia, Ectopic Atrial ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome

The effects of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide ( CTAB) , ascorbic acid, NaBH4 and AgNO3 , as well as the stirring time and reaction time on the preparation of gold nanorods synthesized with seedless growth method were studied. The optimum preparation conditions were obtained in the process of growth of gold nanorods. The gold nanorods prepared under different conditions were characterized by visible absorption spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy ( TEM ) . Under the optimum conditions such as room temperature, 0. 1 mol/L CTAB, 96 μmol/L AgNO3 , 0. 97 mmol/L ascorbic acid, 1. 5 μmol/L NaBH4 and stirring for 25 s, micro-sized gold nanorods with uniform morphology, good dispersibility, small shaft width and high aspect ratio were prepared within 6 h. The gold nanorods were expected to be applied to the detection of mercury ion in water environment.

Background The optimal endpoint for catheter ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) remains ambiguous.This study investigated the impact of AF termination as a procedural endpoint and the termination mode on long-term clinical outcome.Methods Two hundred and ninety-three patients who underwent stepwise ablation for persistent AF were categorized into the AF termination by ablation group and into the electrical cardioversion (CV) group.Subgroups were also analyzed based on different termination modes.Follow-up assessment included early recurrence and sinus rhythm (SR) maintenance.Results During initial ablation,33 patients (11.3％) were directly converted to SR,166 patients (56.7％) were converted to atrial tachycardia (AT) that subsequently restored SR with further ablation in 98 patients (33.4％),and a total of 162 patients (55.3％) underwent cardioversion due to persistent atrial arrhythmias.Comparison between termination by ablation and termination by cardioversion in patients exhibiting AF or AT revealed that no significant difference was observed in early recurrence (38.2％ vs.43.8％,P=0.328) and SR maintenance (67.2％ vs.59.8％,P=0.198) during the (23±7) months follow-up.Even after repeat ablation,the SR maintenance continued to exhibit no statistical difference in above two groups (72.5％ vs.70.4％,P=0.686).Further analysis of subgroups,however,demonstrated that patients with AF terminated directly to SR experienced better clinical outcomes than other subgroups (P ＜0.05).Furthermore,atrial arrhythmias present during ablation have been implicated in prediction of recurrence mode:AF or AT (P ＜0.05).Conclusions Termination as a procedural endpoint is not associated with favorable long-term SR maintenance in persistent AF.AF methods that convert arrhythmia directly to SR have,however,been linked with improved clinical outcomes,although conversions to AT may not be correlated.Atrial arrhythmias observed during the ablation may be used to predict the recurrence mode.

Atrial Fibrillation ; surgery ; Cardiac Tamponade ; etiology ; surgery ; Catheter Ablation ; adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo observe pathological characteristic of bone and soft tissue of the medial aspect of the first metatarsal head in order to investigate the pathogenesis of hallux valgus.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty-three patients with hallux valgus (235 feet) were obtained from August 2003 to December 2004 in our department. The bone and soft tissue of the medial aspect of the first metatarsal head were taken out from the incision. The pathological conditions of specimen were observed by HE stain.

RESULTSThe pathological changes included: degeneration and desmoplasia around the attachment point of tendon and joint capsule, reactive hyperplasia of periost, decreasing of bone trabecula, cartilaginification of periost, cortical bone and tendon insertion, bone formation and osteoclasts response.

CONCLUSIONThe pathological changes of the medial aspect of the first metatarsal head of hallux valgus presented extensive chronic inflammation.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Hallux Valgus ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Metatarsal Bones ; pathology ; Middle Aged

BACKGROUNDRadiofrequency (RF) ablation has become a widely accepted treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF). This study aimed to identify the efficacy and safety of pulmonary vein (PV) ablation with ethanol and to explore an alternative energy source for catheter ablation of AF.

METHODSTwelve open-chest mongrel dogs were randomized into ethanol ablation group and control group. Both the injections and electrophysiological mapping procedures were performed epicardialy. In ethanol ablation group (n = 6), injections were performed to circumferentially ablate the root of each PV (0.2 ml each site, 3 mm apart) with 95% ethanol using an 1 ml injector. In control group (n = 6), saline was injected other than ethanol. PV isolation was confirmed with a circular catheter immediately after the procedure and at follow up of 30 days. PV isolation was defined as the absence of PV potentials at each electrode of the circular catheter positioned at the PV side of the lesions, as well as complete conduction block into left atrium (LA) during PV pacing.

RESULTSPV electrical isolation with complete bidirectional conduction block was achieved with ethanol immediately and at 30 days in 95% of PVs, while saline injection caused only transient conduction changes between LA and PVs. In ethanol group, histologic analysis showed transmural lesions at 30 days. And there was no evidence of PV stenosis or thrombus formation. Mean LA diameter was not significantly different between baseline and 30 days.

CONCLUSIONEthanol is a safe energy source to effectively isolate PV in canine model and may be promising in endocardial ablation procedure of AF patients in the future.

Animals ; Catheter Ablation ; methods ; Dogs ; Electrophysiology ; Ethanol ; Pulmonary Veins ; physiology ; surgery ; Random Allocation

Objective To investigate and analyze the detection of early gastric cancer (ECG) and explore the endoscopic and pathological characteristics. Methods Clinical data of patients underwent gastroscopy in 2016 were retrospectively collected for the screening and statistics of the detection rate of ECG (detected in examination and confirmed by pathology). In addition, the clinical data of 43 detected patients with ECG (47 lesions) were retrospectively summarized. Endoscopic characteristics under a white light endoscope and a magnifying endoscope with narrow band imaging (NBI) as well as pathological characteristics of ECG were compared. Results The overall detection rate of ECG was 0.23% (43/18,534), accounting for 24.71% (43/174) in the total detected cases of gastric cancer. This study revealed that ECG was the most commonly detected in the gastric antrum (36.17%, 17/47), lesion size >1.0 cm was the most common (68.09%, 32/47), and 0-IIc type were the most common under the endoscope, accounting for 55.32% (26/47). Under the white light endoscope, 35 (74.47%, 35/47) lesions showed mucosal redness, 43 (91.49%, 43/47) lesions presented clear boundaries, 42 (89.36%, 42/47) lesions exhibited irregular surface, 39 (82.98%, 39/47) lesions demonstrated mucosal atrophy and (or) intestinal metaplasia, 17 (36.17%, 17/47) lesions presented edge burrs, 8 (17.02%, 8/47) lesions showed WOS, 13 (27.66%, 13/47) lesions had superficial ulcers, and 21 (44.68%, 21/47) lesions demonstrated spontaneous bleeding. Magnifying endoscopy with NBI was conducted in 30 lesions, revealing clear boundaries in 86.67% (26/30) lesions, irregular or disappeared submucosal microvasculature in 96.67% (29/30) lesions, and irregular or disappeared epithelial microstructure and pit pattern in 90.00% (27/30) lesions. Differentiated pathological type was dominant (89.36%, 42/47). Conclusion ECG mainly occurs in the gastric antrum and 0-IIc type are dominant. Careful observation of the changes and characteristics of the local tone of gastric mucosa under a white light endoscope as well as the changes in lesion boundaries, submucosal microvasculature, epithelial microstructure and pit pattern under a magnifying endoscope with NBI is helpful to improve the diagnosis rate of ECG.