Resynchronisation of intra- and interventricular conduction delay by biventricular pacing has become a proven therapy for selected heart failure patients. We present a case of biventricular pacing, used with great success, as a 'bail out' for a patient with refractory congestive heart failure following by-pass surgery.

We report here on three patients who underwent biventricular pacing (BVP) for severe heart failure and the problems encountered with pseudo-bipolar left ventricular (LV) lead configuration. With this configuration, right ventricular anode capture with simultaneous biventricular stimulation was noted at higher output during the isolated LV pacing mode in these patients, which forced us to progra...

In recent years, concerns have been raised about possible harmful effects of long-term right ventricular (RV) apical pacing. These detrimental effects may be related to changes in left ventricular (LV) mechanics during RV apical pacing. As a consequence, alternative RV pacing sites have been proposed, and in selected patients an upgrade from RV to biventricular pacing may be considered. Novel t...

The physician dealing with congenital cardiac disease is not unlikely to be confronted with cases in which there is an abnormal relation between the great vessels (transposition). In analysing such a case, he attempts to determine whether or not there is some obstruction to pulmonary flow, and furthermore whether or not two ventricles are present, and, if so, which artery arises from which vent...

Background—Proper pacemaking of the heart requires a specific organization of the sinoatrial (SA) node. The SA node drives the surrounding atrium but needs to be protected from its hyperpolarizing influence, which tends to suppress pacemaker activity. It has been suggested that the hyperpolarizing atrial influence is minimal at the site of the central nodal area. Methods and Results—Atrio-sinus...

A full term female infant was born after 41 weeks of gestation, with a birth weight of 3815g and normal Apgar scores (9-10-10). Immediately after birth tachycardia was noted. An electrocardiogram (ECG) showed a heart rate of 300 beats per minute (bpm) and narrow QRS complexes. The newborn was clinically stable. She was admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit and an intravenous line was ins...

Mahaim fibres are cardiac accessory bundles which can cause dangerous tachyarrhythmias. Despite their first description being many years ago, their recognition and diagnosis still proves difficult. The electrocardiographic features of Mahaim pathways are subtle and shared with other accessory pathways; as such, an electrophysiology study must be used to diagnose this pathway. Even then, it is o...

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Pacemaker lead displacements can be defined as any other pacemaker position change, whether the functionality of the pacemaker is affected or not. However, only those displacements that provoke a malfunction in the pacing system are clinically relevant. Chronologically speaking, there are early displacements, which occur within the first six weeks after implantation, and late displacements, aft...