Granger causality connectivity analysis of persistent atrial fibrillation dynamics reveals posterior wall mechanistic insights.

Background: Adjunctive posterior wall isolation (PWI) to pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) has not demonstrated convincing benefit during atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. To provide mechanistic insight for null PWI trials, we undertook Granger causality (GC) analysis of noncontact left atrial (LA) electroanatomic maps.

Objective: This study aimed to apply GC to intracardiac electrograms to uncover patient-specific AF dynamics and describe a proof-of-concept approach to targeted PWI after PVI.

Periprocedural Results and Right Ventricular Outcomes of Computer Assisted Vacuum Thrombectomy Treatment of Acute Pulmonary Embolism: Interim Analysis of 300 Patients From the STRIKE-PE Study.

Background: Pulmonary embolism (PE) can be a life-threatening condition. Endovascular treatment is emerging as a promising treatment to restore hemodynamic stability and reverse right ventricular (RV) dysfunction in PE; however, more studies are needed to elucidate the effects on the right ventricle after endovascular treatment. This analysis reports the effects of computer assisted vacuum thrombectomy on RV function.

Development of a Simple, Rapid, Convenience Sampling Method to Evaluate the Validity of Clinical Skills Models and Protocols in a Veterinary Educational Setting.

The use of clinical skills models is now commonplace in veterinary education, with the aim of improving proficiency and competency when subsequently performing clinical procedures on patients. However, it is important to evaluate the construct and content validity of the models and protocols being used to replace live animal teaching. Performing in-depth validation studies takes considerable time and resources, which may not be readily available in an educational setting.

Transcaval Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: Clinical Outcomes From a TAVI Program Without Prior Transcaval Experience.

Background: Despite the emergence of the transcaval (TCv) access route for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in the treatment of patients with hostile iliofemoral anatomy, the number of patients reported in clinical series of TCv TAVI has been relatively small (< 500 published cases). We assessed procedural and clinical outcomes in a prospective cohort of patients undergoing TAVI using TCv access at a clinical site without prior TCv TAVI experience.

Methods: A prospective TAVI database was used to identify all patients treated with TCv TAVI at our center.