Search results for "ABLATION"

Five-year results from the prospective European multicentre cohort study on radiofrequency segmental thermal ablation for incompetent great saphenous…

2015

AbstractBackgroundThis was a prospective study of radiofrequency segmental thermal ablation (RFA) for the treatment of incompetent varicose great saphenous veins (GSVs). The present report describes long-term follow-up at 5 years.MethodsThe 5-year follow-up of this multicentre European study included assessment of the Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS), and GSV occlusion and reflux on duplex imaging.ResultsA total of 225 patients had 295 GSVs treated by RFA, achieving an initial vein occlusion rate of 100 per cent. With 80·0 per cent compliance, Kaplan–Meier analyses showed a GSV occlusion rate of 91·9 per cent and a reflux-free rate of 94·9 per cent at 5 years. Among the 15 GSVs noted w…

Exercising recommendations for paroxysmal AF in young and middle-aged athletes (PAFIYAMA) syndrome.

2017

We have recently described a new syndrome: strenuous endurance exercise-related atrial fibrillation (AF) under the acronym of ‘paroxysmal AF in young and middle-aged athletes’ (‘PAFIYAMA’). Provided that other risk factors for AF and underlying conditions have been excluded (1), the diagnostic criteria for this syndrome entail a number of conditions, classified as major and minor. An enhanced risk of AF has been clearly documented in endurance athletes (top-class, elite and recreational) (2-5), and such risk typically ranges between 1.2- to 15-fold compared to the general, sedentary population (the better cardiovascular fitness, the higher incidence of AF) (6-11). Anecdotally, the last auth…

Computer-Assisted Approaches for Uterine Fibroid Segmentation in MRgFUS Treatments: Quantitative Evaluation and Clinical Feasibility Analysis

2019

Nowadays, uterine fibroids can be treated using Magnetic Resonance guided Focused Ultrasound Surgery (MRgFUS), which is a non-invasive therapy exploiting thermal ablation. In order to measure the Non-Perfused Volume (NPV) for treatment response assessment, the ablated fibroid areas (i.e., Region of Treatment, ROT) are manually contoured by a radiologist. The current operator-dependent methodology could affect the subsequent follow-up phases, due to the lack of result repeatability. In addition, this fully manual procedure is time-consuming, considerably increasing execution times. These critical issues can be addressed only by means of accurate and efficient automated Pattern Recognition ap…

TACE versus TAE as therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma

2008

Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) improves survival in cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The optimal schedule, best anticancer agent and best technique are still unclear. TACE may not be better than transarterial embolization (TAE). HCC is very chemoresistant, thus embolization may be more important than chemotherapy. Lipiodol cannot be considered as an embolic agent and there are no data to show that it can release chemotherapeutic agents slowly. It can mask residual vascularity on CT imaging and its use is not recommended. Both TACE and TAE result in hypoxia, which stimulates angiogenesis, promoting tumor growth; thus combination of TACE with antiangiogenic agen…

Direct image-guided retroperitoneal approach and treatment of the pancreas by using natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery after EUS sugar-a…

2021

Functional Data Analysis for ECG Recordings of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation Patients Before and After Pulmonary Vein Isolation

2018

Pulmonary vein isolation is the cornestone of current ablation techniques for patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation in order avoid recurrences of the arrhythmia and maintain sinus rhythm. This study aimed to analyse the existence of significant variations in surface ECG after pulmonary vein isolation by means of functional data analysis. 12 consecutive unselected patients suffering from paroxysmal atrial fibrillation who underwent catheter ablation were included in the study. Each patient was monitored in sinus rhythm before and after catheter ablation. P-waves of bipolar lead II were delineated. Functional data were fitted from these segments and the first and second derivatives eva…

Three-year European follow-up of endovenous radiofrequency-powered segmental thermal ablation of the great saphenous vein with or without treatment o…

2011

BackgroundRadiofrequency segmental thermal ablation (RSTA) has become a commonly used technology for occlusion of incompetent great saphenous veins (GSVs). Midterm results and data on clinical parameters are still lacking.MethodsA prospective multicenteral trial monitored 295 RSTA-treated GSVs for 36 months. Clinical control visits included flow and reflux analysis by duplex ultrasound imaging and assessment of clinical parameters according to the CEAP classification and Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS).ResultsA total of 256 of 295 treated GSVs (86.4%) were available for 36 months of follow-up. At 36 months, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed the probability of occlusion was 92.6% a…

Comparison of Two Aerodynamic Lenses as an Inlet for a Single Particle Laser Ablation Mass Spectrometer

2008

By means of a newly designed portable aerosol mass spectrometer SPLAT (Single Particle Laser Ablation Time-of-flight mass spectrometer) for the analysis of single atmospheric aerosol particles we investigated the system performance in dependency on two different aerodynamic lenses (Liu and Schreiner type) capable of focusing particles with diameters ranging from 80 nm to 800 nm and 300 nm to 3000 nm, respectively. By using the pressure regulated Schreiner lens, the instrument is independent of variations in atmospheric pressure which would lead to changing dynamical properties of the aerosol particles. Active pressure control inside the inlet system facilitates airborne measurements without…

Fabrication and Characterization of Epitaxial NbN/TaN/NbN Josephson Junctions Grown by Pulsed Laser Ablation

2009

We report fabrication and characterization of epitaxial NbN/TaN/NbN Josephson junctions grown by pulsed laser ablation. These SNS junctions can be used as elements of rapid-single-flux-quantum (RSFQ) logic, which is a promising technology for high speed digital electronic devices. The NbN/TaN/NbN trilayer films were prepared on a single crystal MgO substrate by pulsed laser ablation, and patterned into junctions using a novel process utilizing e-beam lithography, chemical vapor deposition and e-beam evaporation. The quality of junctions was tested by measuring the temperature dependence of the junctions' IcRn values, observed to be quite close to theoretical values.

Embolic stroke, sinus rhythm and left atrial mechanical function

2004

A 64-year-old man manifested a stroke two years after restoration of sinus rhythm through a radiofrequency catheter ablation. Transesophageal echo- cardiography demonstrated the presence of a thrombus in the left atrial appendage. Left atrial volumes and different parameters of atrial emptying showed that, de- spite the persistence of the sinus rhythm, atrial mechanical function was severely impaired. After atrial ablation procedures echocardiography can be useful to stratify pa- tients according to their risk of developing embolic events and hence be of help in deciding whether or not discontinuation of anticoagulant therapy is the appropri- ate choice.