Rev Esp Cardiol
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Comparative Study
[The incidence and significance of late potentials in patients with aborted sudden death].
Reentrant ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation probably have different electrophysiological bases. Regional conduction delay during sinus rhythm seems to be greatest in patients with spontaneous sustained ventricular tachycardia than in patients with spontaneous sustained ventricular fibrillation. We investigated the prevalence and significance of late potentials in patients with documented VT or VF in the setting of coronary diseases and other organic heart diseases. ⋯ 1) We have found and elevated incidence of abnormal late potentials in patients with sudden cardiac death, and 2) only when the mechanism of sudden cardiac death was a spontaneous VT, we were able to correlate abnormal late potential with provoked ventricular tachycardia during electrophysiologic study.
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Transthoracic echocardiography is the gold-standard method in the diagnosis of cardiac myxomas. Our aim was to analyze the usefulness of transesophageal echocardiography in the diagnosis and assessment of patients with cardiac myxomas. ⋯ We conclude that the sensitivity in the diagnosis of cardiac myxomas is similar with both techniques, but transesophageal echocardiography is much more accurate in the detection of the precise attaching point and the presence of satellite tumours. We think that TEE is a useful tool, complementary to TTE, in the assessment of patients with cardiac myxomas before going to surgery.
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The purpose of this study is to show our experience in clinical dynamic cardiomyoplasty. ⋯ We believe that dynamic cardiomyoplasty is a safe and valid surgical procedure for some patients with end stage cardiomyopathies as well as in association with Jatene's technique for the management of left ventricular aneurysms. An improvement in functional class is present and a significant increase of the left ventricular systolic function. Nevertheless it is necessary to find new systolic parameters, independent of volumetric calculations, to evaluate the mechanical support of the muscle as well as to determine the long-term pattern of electrical stimulation.