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Aims: There are currently limited therapeutic approaches for patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) who have developed permanent atrial fibrillation (AF). We aimed to analyse the impact of ventricular irregularity on heart failure rehospitalization in patients with permanent AF and HFpEF. Methods and results: All 24 h ambulatory Holter monitoring performed in our centre within a month after a first heart failure hospitalization were screened. Patients with HFpEF and permanent AF were included in the retrospective analysis. The following parameters of ventricular irregularity were calculated over the 24 h recording period: standard deviation of all RR intervals (SDNN), coefficient of variation of SDNN (CV‐SDNN = SDNN/mean RR), root of the mean squared differences of successive RR intervals (RMSSD), and percentage of consecutive RR intervals with difference over 50 ms (pNN50). The primary endpoint was rehospitalization for acute heart failure (HFrH). From 2010 to 2021, 51/216 screened patients were included. During a median follow‐up of 3.13 years, 29/51 patients reached the primary endpoint. HFrH patients had higher SDNN (205 ± 65 vs. 154 ± 46 ms; P < 0.01), CV‐SDNN (26 ± 8% vs. 19 ± 5%, P < 0.01), RMSSD (182 ± 47 vs. 138 ± 65 ms, P = 0.013), and pNN50 (76 ± 9 vs. 58 ± 26, P < 0.001) when compared with patients with no HFrH. In multivariate analysis, all those parameters remained significantly associated with HFrH. Conclusions: In this pilot study, we found some evidences for a deleterious impact of excessive ventricular irregularity on HFrH in AF patients with HFpEF. Those new findings could pave the way for new prognosis and therapeutic approaches in this patients' population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Although cryoenergy safety profile is appropriate for the ablation of arrhythmogenic foci near the conduction system, mapping using the cryoablation catheter is of limited precision. Combining the safety of cryoenergy and the high precision of a 3D mapping system therefore appears the most appropriate set-up for ablation in the vicinity of the His bundle.Methods and Results: A 29-year-old woman with a 3-year history of increasing shortness of breath and palpitations refractory to medical treatment was sent to the electrophysiology (EP) laboratory for catheter ablation. Surface electrocardiogram showed sinus rhythm and frequent ectopic beats with narrow QRS complexes similar to those of the sinus beats. The left ventricular ejection fraction was impaired (38%) with no other aetiology found, apart from frequent ectopies. Detailed intracardiac mapping, using a 3D electroanatomical system, revealed that the ectopy originated from the distal His bundle, which was indicated by both antegrade and reversed His bundle activation sequence during ectopy compared to that during sinus rhythm. Due to the proximity of the conduction system, cryoenergy rather than radiofrequency was chosen to target this Hisian ectopy. A special set-up was made in order to allow the cryoablation catheter to be visualized into the 3D mapping system. Cryoenergy delivered to the site of earliest Hisian ectopy activation completely abolished it.Conclusion: Such a combined approach may help to improve the therapeutic strategy for ablation procedures with a high risk of injury to the conduction system. It could notably be extended to the ablation of para-Hisian ectopy or accessory pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Right ventricular pacing (RVP) induces ventricular asynchrony in patients with normal QRS and increases the risk of heart failure and atrial fibrillation in long term. His bundle pacing (HBP) is a physiological alternative to RVP, and could overcome its drawbacks. Recent studies assessed the feasibility and safety of HBP in expert centers with a vast experience of this technique. These results may not apply to less experienced centers. We aim to evaluate the feasibility and safety of permanent HBP performed by physicians who are new to this technique. Methods: We included all patients who underwent pacemaker implantation with attempt of HBP in three hospitals between September 2017 and January 2020. Indication for HBP was left to operators' discretion. All the operators were new for HBP. His bundle (HB) electrical parameters were recorded at implant, 3‐ and 12‐month follow‐up. Results: HBP was successful in 141 of 170 patients (82.9%); selective HBP was obtained in 96 patients and nonselective HBP in 45. The mean procedure and fluoroscopy durations were 67.0 ± 28.8 min, and 7.3 ± 8.1 min (3.1 ± 4.1 Gy·cm2), respectively. The mean HB paced QRS duration was 106 ± 18 ms. The mean HB capture threshold was 1.29 ± 0.77 V and did not increase at 3‐ and 12‐month follow‐up. The ventricular lead revision was required in five patients. Our results showed a rapid technical learning allowing a high procedure success rate (89.8%) after 15 procedures. Conclusion: HBP performed by operators new to this technique appeared feasible and safe. This should encourage HBP to be performed in patients expected to experience high RVP burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Either cryoenergy or radiofrequency can be used during atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) ablation. There are still limited data comparing their respective long‐term efficacy (>1 year). This study sought to compare the very long‐term outcomes of AVNRT ablation using radiofrequency or cryotherapy. Methods: We retrospectively included all patients who had undergone a first AVNRT ablation in our institution between January 2010 and December 2017. The primary endpoint was recurrence of documented AVNRT. Results: The study population consisted of 409 patients (274 females; mean age, 49.9 years). Ablation was performed using cryoenergy in 260 patients and radiofrequency in 149. High acute procedural success rate (>98%) was obtained and no permanent AV block was observed using both techniques. During a mean follow‐up of 3.3 ± 2.3 years, documented AVNRT recurrence occurred in 24 (9.2%) and 4 patients (2.7%) in the cryoablation (CA) and radiofrequency (RF) group, respectively. The risk of AVNRT recurrence was significantly higher in the CA group as compared with the RF group (hazard ratio [HR] = 3.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3–5.9). Most of the recurrences after CA occurred between 1‐ and 6‐year follow‐up (14/24; 58.3%), with one‐third of late recurrences after 3‐year follow‐up. In multivariable analysis, only Koch's triangle anatomical variant was associated with AVNRT recurrence after CA (HR = 6.7; 95% CI, 2.7–16.3). Conclusion: While AVNRT recurrence rates were similar at 1 year of follow‐up regardless of the energy used, long‐term efficacy appeared higher after radiofrequency ablation. Strikingly, recurrences occured much later after cryotherapy compared with radiofrequency ablation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: One of the most frequent complications of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is the occurrence of atrioventricular (AV) conduction disorders secondary to AV node or His bundle injury leading to permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI). The objective was to quantify the rate of ventricular pacing (VP), according to post‐TAVI indication for PPI using recorded pacemaker memory. Methods: From October 2009 to January 2017‚ all patients who had PPI following TAVI performed at Rouen University Hospital were included. Indications for PPI were: ≥ 1 episode of complete atrioventricular block (CAVB) or 2:1 atrioventricular block, and new‐onset persistent left bundle branch block (NOP‐LBBB) with either prolonged PR interval (> 200 ms) or HV interval (>70 ms). The primary endpoint was VP percentage at the first pacemaker interrogation (a VP percentage ≥ 1% was considered as significant). Results: Out of 936 TAVI patients (Sapien‐3‚ n = 379 [Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA, USA]; Sapien‐XT‚ n = 513; CoreValve‚ n = 44, Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN, USA), 87 (9.3%) had PPI. Eighty of these 87 patients were followed‐up and analyzed. At the first pacemaker interrogation, a significant VP percentage was observed in 60/80 followed‐up patients (75%), in 46/51 patients (90.2%) implanted for CAVB, and 12/23 patients (52.2%) implanted for NOP‐LBBB associated with either prolonged PR or HV interval. No clinical predictive factor of significant VP percentage was found. Conclusion: In the post‐TAVI period, our data support PPI in patients with CAVB even if paroxysmal. Our data also suggest PPI may be considered in patients with NOP‐LBBB associated with either prolonged PR or HV interval. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collateral Nervous Damages. Introduction: Various types of complications have been reported after atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation using radiofrequency energy, but those have not been well defined when using cryoballoon ablation technique. The objective of this prospective study was to assess types, incidence, and outcome of complications after cryoballoon pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). Methods and Results: This prospective monocentric study included 66 consecutive patients (39 males, age 57 ± 11 years) who underwent cryoballoon PVI for symptomatic paroxysmal AF. Phrenic nerve (PN) integrity was assessed by pacing from the superior vena cava during isolation of the right PVs. Before discharge, all patients were subjected to 24-hour Holter electrocardiograms, echocardiography, and esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Cardiac MRI was scheduled between 1 and 3 months postprocedure. At 3.7 ± 1.7 months after ablation, patients underwent clinical review and 24-hour Holter electrocardiograms. The mean number of cryoballoon applications was 10.0 ± 2.1 per patient and 2.5 ± 1.0 per vein. A 28 mm cryoballoon was used in 49 patients (74%) and a 23 mm cryoballoon in the remaining 17 patients (26%). Twelve complications (18%) attributing to collateral nervous damage were noticed in 9 patients: asymptomatic gastroparesis was observed in 6 patients (9%), transient PN palsy (PNP) in 5 (8%), and symptomatic inappropriate sinus tachycardia requiring beta-blocker treatment in 1 (1%). Neither cryoballoon-related esophageal ulceration nor PV stenosis was observed. Conclusion: Gastroparesis and PNP could be observed in a significant number of cases after cryoballoon ablation of AF. These complications are likely due to cryo-induced damages to nervous structures surrounding the heart. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phrenic Nerve Isolation in Cardiac Resynchronization. Left phrenic nerve stimulation is a well-known complication of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). We report a case where electronic or anatomical repositioning of the left ventricular (LV) electrode (within the coronary sinus tributaries) was not feasible/effective. Surgical graft interpositioning was performed to successfully isolate the phrenic nerve from the previously implanted coronary sinus epicardial LV lead. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 23, pp. 778-780, July 2012) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seven years after the implantation of a dual-chamber pacemaker, a 74-year-old woman was referred for syncope. Chest X-ray revealed that the ventricular lead was completely broken near the tricuspid valve. Fluoroscopy and transthoracic echocardiography found a calcified mass, moving with the proximal part of the ventricular lead. Anatomopathology of the atrial tumour remained unknown. Surgery was considered too invasive a technique to be performed in our patient, who was suffering from dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A dual-chamber pacemaker was implanted because of symptomatic bradycardia in a 60-year-old patient free from other heart disease. Then, the patient developed acute congestive heart failure due to pacing-induced mitral regurgitation (MR). Under echocardiographic guidance, modification of location of the right ventricular pacing lead led to a significant decrease in MR severity resulting in immediate clinical improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]