Heart rhythm : the official journal of the Heart Rhythm Society
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Should all individuals with a nondiagnostic Brugada-electrocardiogram undergo sodium-channel blocker test?
The diagnostic Brugada-electrocardiogram (Br-ECG) is characterized by "coved-type" ST-segment elevation (type 1) in V(1) to V(2)/V(3). The sodium-channel blocker test is clinically used to unmask diagnostic Br-ECG in patients with nondiagnostic "saddle-back" Br-ECG (type 2 and type 3). ⋯ In asymptomatic individuals with a nondiagnostic Br-ECG, the incidence of events is low regardless of the sodium-channel blocker test result while in symptomatic patients a positive sodium-channel blocker test result is associated with an adverse arrhythmic outcome and may contribute to risk stratification.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
The durability of pulmonary vein isolation using the visually guided laser balloon catheter: multicenter results of pulmonary vein remapping studies.
The visually guided laser ablation (VGLA) catheter is a compliant, variable-diameter balloon that delivers laser energy around the pulmonary vein (PV) ostium under real-time endoscopic visualization. While acute PV isolation has been shown to be feasible, limited data exist regarding the durability of isolation. ⋯ In this multicenter, multioperator experience, VGLA resulted in a very high rate of durable PV isolation with a clinical efficacy similar to that of radiofrequency ablation.