Radiofrequency ablation of a hepatic neoplasm in a patient with an abdominal pacemaker.

We present the case of a 52 year-old male with a history of C-hepatitis and two liver neoplastic lesions treated by radiofrequency (RF) ablation. The patient wears an abdominally-implanted unipolar VVI pacemaker that did not show any signs of interference during RF pulses. We describe the procedure performed and discuss the present knowledge regarding the possibilities of RF interference with the normal pacemaker functioning in several settings related to abdominal RF treatments.

[Impact of optimal medical therapy on the arrhythmias and heart rate variability detected with 24 hour Holter in a series of patients from a heart failure clinic]. / Impacto de la terapia médica en las arritmias y variabilidad de la frecuencia cardiaca detectadas por Holter de 24 horas en una serie de pacientes de una clínica de insuficiencia cardiaca.

UNLABELLED: Pharmacological treatment of heart failure (HF) patients usually induces improvements in their functional class (FC). Heart rate variability and Holter-detected arrhythmias are sudden cardiac death predictors and should be evaluated in the presence of optimal medical treatment. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, observational and linear study to evaluate ventricular arrhythmia presence and heart rate variability through 24-hr Holter. A first recording was made upon admission to the HF clinic and the second was obtained when a stable FC was reached or optimal medication doses where attained. RESULTS: We have controls among 47 patients 11.6 +/- 8.1 months after the enrollment Holter. We have 26 (55.3%) men, with an average age of 60.2 +/- 13.9 years. The main ejection fraction (EF) went from 31.9 to 37.4% during follow-up (p = 0.01). At enrollment, 44.7% of our patients were in a FC I, 27.7% in FC II and 27.7% in FC III. At the end of follow-up, 67.4% were in FC I, 27.9% in FC II and 4.7% in FC III. Time-domain variability did not show significant changes and remained in normal average values. Premature atrial contractions diminished (324.1 +/- 811.1 vs. 316 +/- 809.2) but the ventricular ones went from 1,493.6 +/- 3,530.9 in 24 hours, to 1,582.4 +/- 4,394.5 (p = ns) during control, among those with an EF < 40% and SDNN < 100 ms, we found an increase from 7,026.6 +/- 12,168.8 to 9,336 +/- 16,137.8 PVC's in 24-hours (p = 0.008). CONCLUSION: Optimal medical therapy for heart failure can positively change certain aspects of these patients, but it does not improve the arrhythmic sudden death risk profile.