Background The time course of progressive dilatation of the right ventricle (RV) in adults with pulmonary regurgitation (PR) late after repair of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is poorly characterized. Methods We analysed cardiac MRI data (1.5 T) from 14 adult repaired TOF patients (26 ± 11 years of age) with dilated RVs and known significant PR, on 2 separate visits with a between MRI period of 2...

OBJECTIVES We evaluated the acute impact of different cardiac pacing sites on two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) derived left ventricular (LV) rotation and twist in healthy dogs. METHODS Twelve dogs were used in this study. The steerable pacing electrodes were positioned into right heart through the superior or inferior vena cava, into LV through aorta across the aortic v...

Current research on valvular heart repair has focused on tissue-engineered heart valves (TEHV) because of its potential to grow similarly to native heart valves. Decellularized xenografts are a promising solution; however, host recellularization remains challenging. In this study, decellularized porcine aortic valves were implanted into the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) of sheep to inv...

OBJECTIVES We investigated the electrocardiographic (ECG) and electrophysiologic characteristics of ventricular tachycardia (VT) originating within the pulmonary artery (PA). BACKGROUND Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) is routinely applied to the endocardial surface of the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) in patients with idiopathic VT of left bundle branch block morphology. It w...

BACKGROUND In general, all conduits available for right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) reconstruction eventually become stenotic or insufficient. Owing to the lack of an ideal conduit and with the hope of reducing the incidence of reoperations, we have developed and utilized a bicuspid valved polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) conduit for the reconstruction of the RVOT. The purpose of this study ...

INTRODUCTION Data on long term function of the Melody valve are scarce. Patients and methods: single institution; results of percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation (PPVI) from 2006 to 2014. The function of the valved conduit was analyzed by Doppler echocardiography. Annual Chest X-ray after implant and permanent screening for events (e.g. Endocarditis). RESULTS 112 Melody valves were impla...

BACKGROUND The prevalence, gender- and age-related differences, ablation success rate and inter-relationship between the origins of the idiopathic ventricular arrhythmias (I-VA) have not been clarified. METHODS AND RESULTS A total of 625 consecutive patients with symptomatic, drug resistant I-VA (315 males and 310 females; mean age, 54 ± 17 years; 218 ventricular tachycardias, 407 premature v...

Background: We report the long-term results of our follow-up study, which compared right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) pacing and right ventricular apex (RVA) pacing in terms of left and right ventricular function, synchrony, cardiac remodeling, the degree of valve regurgitation and clinical outcomes. Methods: Ninety-six patients with completed or high-degree atrio-ventricular block were pro...

BACKGROUND The hallmark lesion of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is fibrofatty scar replacement. We compared endocardial voltage mapping (EVM) and contrast-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance (CE-CMR) for imaging scar lesions in ARVC patients. METHODS AND RESULTS We studied 23 consecutive ARVC patients (16 males; mean age, 38±12 years) who underwent RV EVM and CE-CMR a...

OBJECTIVES Primary surgical repair of Tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) in small infants with small pulmonary arteries (PAs) or complex anatomies can be hazardous. We assessed the effect of right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) stenting on subsequent surgical intervention with attention to growth of the PAs. METHODS Primary RVOT stenting was performed in 32 symptomatic patients with ToF physiology. ...