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Surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) evolves to less invasive, safer and technically easier procedures mostly due to the electrophysiological studies, technological progress and creativeness in ablation systems construction. We present first clinical experience, mid- and long-term results of AF treatment with new liquid nitrogen cryothermy device for endocardial application. In 26 patients we have proved the feasibility and clinical effectiveness of liquid nitrogen cryocatheter ablation reaching more than 70% of sinus rhythm rate in long follow-up from 3 up to 24 months.

Apical ballooning after sudden emotional stress is a new syndrome characterised by abrupt onset of angina-like chest pain, ST-segment elevation, wall motion abnormalities involving the lower anterior wall and apex without significant coronary artery stenosis. We present a case of a 57-year-old woman with apical ballooning syndrome which occurred during premedication the general anaesthesia. We also found an increased B-type natriuretic peptide level in this patent--the finding not reported previously in the literature.

Ischaemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) may be surgically treated by isolated myocardial revascularisation or in combination with valve repair. Dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) may be helpful in selecting an optimal surgical strategy.To develop the optimal surgical approach to patients (pts) with significant (ERO łO2 cm(2)) IMR on the basis of TEE-DSE. An attempt was undertaken to select patients in whom coronary revascularisation should be performed alone or in combination with reconstruction of mitral apparatus.The study group comprised 212 pts (M/F--134/78; mean age 65+/-10 years) with a history of Q-wave myocardial infarction qualified to elective surgical revascularisation on the basis of coronary angiography. In 25 pts with significant IMR (ejection fraction40%, wall motion score index 1.8+/-0.3) TEE-DSE was performed. Based on TEE-DSE results pts were divided into the following groups: Group I--7 pts with significant reduction of MR and improvement of left ventricular contractility following dobutamine infusion and qualified to CABG; and Group II (n=18) without significant changes of IMR (9 pts) or with significant reduction of IMR without significant influence on WMSI (9 pts) who were qualified to CABG with mitral valve surgery.In 4 pts from Group II valve replacement was performed and the remaining 14 pts had mitral annuloplasty. Echocardiographic assessments performed 2-7 days, 6 months and 12 months following the surgical procedure revealed IMR intensity as follows (number of patients is given): Group I--small 5/4/4, moderate 2/2/2, severe 0/0/0, Group II--small 15/14/13, moderate 2/3/3, severe 0/0/0.TEE-DSE seems to be a useful tool for optimal selection of surgical treatment in patients with significant IMR and qualification for CABG.

A marked progress in the treatment of chronic heart failure (CHF) took place during the last decade. Large, randomised studies documented the role of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-I) and beta-blockers in the reduction of mortality and morbidity in CHF.To assess differences in the management of CHF patients between cardiologists and internists.Medical records of 433 patients with CHF, aged 38-98 years, hospitalised between October 2000 and May 2002 in an academic centre, were retrospectively analysed. Cardiologists treated 241 patients, and internists - 192 patients. In addition, 12 randomly selected physicians who treated CHF patients, filled-in a questionnaire concerning CHF treatment. Next, the answers were compared with the actual treatment, documented in patients medical files.There were significant differences in the CHF treatment between cardiologists and internists. Cardiologists significantly more often prescribed ACE-I in NYHA class III patients (77% vs 58%, p=0.003), beta-blockers in all NYHA classes (80% vs 57%, p0.001), loop diuretics in NYHA classes III and IV (76% vs 42%, p0.001 and 91% vs 44%, p=0.005), and thiazides in NYHA class III patients (36% vs 11%, p0.001). Internists more often used loop diuretics (37% vs 15%, p0.001), digoxin (28% vs 7%, p0.001) and aldosterone antagonists (24% vs 13%, p=0.022) in NYHA class II patients. All cardiologists and almost half of internists declared combined usage of ACE-I and beta-blockers at increasing dosages as the treatment was continued. The highest concordance between declared and actual medication concerned the concomitant use of ACE-I and beta-blockers.Cardiologists used more often ACE-I and beta-blockers than internists in the treatment of CHF patients. A satisfactory knowledge of treatment guidelines was not associated with widespread usage of ACE-I and beta-blockers in every-day practice.

We present the real-time three-dimensional echocardiography in a patient who suffered a transient left apical ballooning syndrome.

We present the case of a 70-year-old male patient who was admitted to our centre with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis. His medical history included: hypertension, stroke (1998 and 2013) with subsequent left-sided paraparesis and status after traumatic upper right limb amputation in his youth. Patient’s logistic EuroSCORE was 18.1%, EuroSCORE II 5.7% and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Score 2.7%. Transthoracic echocardiography showed impaired left ventricular ejection fraction of 27%, mean aortic pressure gradient of 70.5 mm Hg, aortic valve area of 0.6 cm2, and peak velocity of 6.3 m/s. For precise aortic annulus measurement, transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and a computed tomography scan were performed and revealed a heavily calcified bicuspid valve with mean annulus diameter of 24 mm. Angiography demonstrated a significant lesion in the 3rd segment of right coronary artery (RCA). Due to the high operative risk, the patient was referred by the Heart Team for percutaneous coronary intervention of RCA and transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) via the femoral route (considering the absence of atherosclerotic lesions in ilio-femoral arteries). Native valve was predilated with a 22 mm Numed balloon catheteter (Fig. 1A). On the basis of pre-procedural imaging, a 29 mm Medtronic CoreValveTM bioprosthesis was implanted at the annulus level. However, control angio and TEE showed low implantation accompanied by significant paravalvular aortic regurgitation (Fig. 1B). Haemodynamic measurement also confirmed a suboptimal effect with low diastolic aortic pressure (DAP) and high left-ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) (Fig. 2A). Therefore, the decision was made to implant a second bioprosthesis — another 29 mm CoreValve was placed and deployed 8–10 mm higher than the first one (Fig. 1C). Implantation of the second valve significantly decreased the magnitude of regurgitation from severe to no or mild, both in angiography and pressure recordings (Figs. 1D and 2A, respectively). It has been shown in several observational and randomised trials that even mild paravalvular regurgitation after TAVI is an independent predictor of long-term mortality. It is therefore of crucial importance to diagnose early and minimise the grade of regurgitation by post-dilatation or second valve deployment. This case demonstrates that apart from imaging modalities, direct pressure measurement is an easy, reliable and reproducible method of paravalvular leak detection. Recently, it has been shown in a non-selected population of TAVI procedures that pressure gradient DDAP-LVEDP is a powerful predictor of mortality.

Atrial septal defect transcatheter occlusion techniques have become an alternative to surgical procedures. With the increasing use of this new technology, several complications have been identified. The authors present the case of a patient who was admitted to the hospital for primary percutaneous closure of a secundum atrial septal defect. On routine follow-up examination 24 hours after implantation, transthoracic echocardiography revealed a partial dislocation of the occluder into the right atrium. The patient was referred for cardiosurgical treatment. Strict selection criteria and the choice of the device may help reduce the incidence of complications such as dislocation of the occluder into the right atrium following the percutaneous device closure of an atrial septal defect.

A 51-year-old woman presented with a 2 year history of declining exercise capacity and irregular palpitations. Clinical examination revealed sinus rhythm at 86 b.p.m., and blood pressure of 112/70 mmHg, without pedal oedema. Initial transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) revealed moderate right ventricular (RV) enlargement with moderate tricuspid regurgitation and mild pulmonary hypertension (estimated PASP 40 mmHg). There was interventricular septal flattening in diastole due to RV volume overload. Transoesophageal two-dimensional echocardiography (2D TEE) demonstrated multiperforated atrial septal aneurysm (ASD II-atrial septal defects type II) …