Ryan Maybrook

LEFT ATRIAL APPENDAGE LIGATION AND ABLATION FOR PERSISTENT ATRIAL FIBRILLATION (LAALA-AF REGISTRY)

Left atrial appendage (LAA) isolation is known to be an important adjunctive therapy to improve outcomes of pulmonary vein isolation in patients with persistent AF. Percutaneous endo-epicardial LAA closure system (LARIAT) can result in both mechanical and electrical exclusion of the LAA and may

HYPONATREMIA AND HEMODYNAMIC CHANGES FOLLOWING PERCUTANEOUS LEFT ATRIAL APPENDAGE LIGATION WITH THE LARIAT DEVICE

introduction: The left atrial appendage (LAA) is a major source of ANP (atrial natriuretic peptide). ANP secretion post-MAZE has been shown to be reduced, resulting in volume overload and hyponatremia. However, the physiologic effects of LAA ligation have not been previously studied. We intended to study the changes in electrolytes and blood pressure (BP) following percutaneous LAA ligation using the LARIAT device.

PERI-PROCEDURAL USE OF NOVEL ANTICOAGULATION AGENTS DURING CARDIAC DEVICE IMPLANTATION

The safety of novel anticoagulant agents (NOACs; dabigatran and rivaroxaban) in the peri-procedural setting during cardiac device implantation is not clear. Patients who underwent device implantation on NOACs were matched by age, gender and type of procedure with patients who underwent the

Intrinsic and Extrinsic Cardiac Pseudotumors: Echocardiographic Evaluation and Review of the Literature

Echocardiography is the most common imaging modality for the assessment of cardiovascular tumors, followed by more advanced imaging modalities, such as cardiac computed tomography or cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Non‐neoplastic lesions that may simulate a true neoplasm on imaging are termed “cardiac pseudotumors.” As echocardiography is the initial imaging modality where pseudotumors are identified, it is imperative to have a fundamental understanding of pseudotumors evaluation using echocardiography. There is paucity of the literature describing the different kinds of pseudotumors. This review is an attempt to describe common cardiac pseudotumors and to classify them based on their origin. The tumors arising from cardiac structures, such as epicardium, endocardium, or myocardium, were termed as “intrinsic” while the pseudotumors with no cardiac origin were termed as “extrinsic.” The more common pseudotumors are described in detail with pertinent echocardiographic features and examples.

Percutaneous Closure of a Coronary Artery-to-Vein Graft Anastomotic Pseudoaneurysm Presenting as Acute Coronary Syndrome after Recent Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Pseudoaneurysm formation has been reported in degenerated coronary artery saphenous vein bypass grafts, as well as in native coronary arteries after interventional procedures or blunt trauma. In contrast, pseudoaneurysm formation arising from the anastomotic site of native coronary vessels soon after coronary artery bypass grafting is rare, and neither the clinical presentation of this phenomenon nor its treatment is well described. We present the case of a 63-year-old man, a recent coronary artery bypass grafting patient, who presented with acute coronary syndrome due to a large and expanding pseudoaneurysm of the saphenous vein-to-ramus intermedius artery graft anastomosis. After several attempts, we successfully treated the pseudoaneurysm by means of percutaneous coil embolization. To our knowledge, this is the first report of acute coronary syndrome secondary to a pseudoaneurysm at the coronary artery-saphenous vein graft anastomosis. In addition, this appears to be the first report of the percutaneous treatment of such a pseudoaneurysm by means of coil embolization.

UNITED STATES EXPERIENCE WITH ATRIAL FLUTTER ABLATION A STUDY OF TRENDS IN UTILIZATION, DEMOGRAPHIC DISPARITIES AND OUTCOMES USING THE NATIONWIDE INPATIENT SAMPLE DATABASE FOR YEARS 2003-2010

Atrial Flutter (AFL) is a common arrhythmia treated effectively with catheter ablation. However, trends in utilization of this highly successful therapy have not been systematically evaluated. We used the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database (the largest all-payer database in the US) to identify