Circulation. Arrhythmia and electrophysiology
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Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol · Feb 2012
Comparative StudyAtrial fibrillation after pulmonary transplantation: incidence, impact on mortality, treatment effectiveness, and risk factors.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common after thoracic surgery. Limited data exist concerning the incidence of AF, its impact on mortality, the effectiveness of therapy, and the risk factors of AF after pulmonary transplantation. ⋯ AF is fairly common after pulmonary transplantation, transient, and relatively benign. It is not independently associated with increased in-hospital mortality. Most patients return to sinus rhythm before discharge. Age, prior AF, and bilateral transplantation increase the risk of postoperative AF.
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Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol · Feb 2012
Comparative StudyFunctional nature of electrogram fractionation demonstrated by left atrial high-density mapping.
Complex fractionated atrial electrograms (CFAE) are targets of atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. Serial high-density maps were evaluated to understand the impact of activation direction and rate on electrogram (EGM) fractionation. ⋯ The distribution of fractionated EGMs is highly variable, depending on direction and rate of activation (SR versus CSp versus AF). Fractionation in SR and CSp rhythms mostly resulted from wave collision. All sites with continuous fractionation in AF displayed normal voltage in SR, suggesting absence of structural scar. Thus, many fractionated EGMs are functional in nature, and their sites dynamic.