Janet, I couldn't find it so maybe I didn't post it. Anyway, here is the relevent discussion from the multicenter trial - one year followup. Lots of issues to iron out. Title of paper is "One-year clinical outcome after pulmonary vein isolation using the novel endoscopic ablation system in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation" /////////////////////////////// Dby researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
Janet, Yes. I have posted about the laser balloon here so you can do a search here using those keywords. The procedure is experimental and the company behind it is sponsoring human trials. I would avoid being recruited into the trials as the European trial results so a very high rate of tamponade, and those results came from a top center in Germany. I cringed to think what would happen withby researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
It was mixed emotions for me when I found out last week that my friends 88 yr old mom passed from a massive stroke that cut off blood supply to her brain stem. She had major health issues, hypertension, mitral valve prolapse, diabetes and really having a difficult life. AF was the killer in the end. My friend (who manages a ortho clinic) was really upset at the ER docs that ordered up a wholeby researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
McHale, Natale apparently has a very high regard for Marchlinski as well according to one of his Austin group EPs I talked to a few years ago. They also have equally high regard for Reddy that you are considering.by researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
I look at the question in another way - Is the complication risk worth it? Perfection would be 100% success rate with negligible major complications requiring hospitalization. Reality for the very top guns is around 80% single procedure success rate with around 1% chance of major complications per procedure. The average for all centers that took part in the Cappato world wide survey is aroundby researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
An ablated poster named Janet recommended Sabine Ernst for my cousin who lives in London. My cousin (female) is seeing her now and seems to be happy with her.by researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
Questions on AF management, non-drug, drug and ablation and comments on anticoagulation and evolution in technology. Thanks to Mellanie True Hills for putting this together.by researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
I think Cryo is holding its own in terms of share of total procedure. Cleveland Clinic recently reported 5% of all procedures which is the same as 4 years ago when I got a number. CCF is running nearly 6000 ablation procedures per year. Cryo biggest application by far is right sided ablations and less so for AF or anything left sided.by researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
Thanks for the heads up. I will check this out for my father in law.by researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
Another option is that you are closer to Ohio clinics with high volume programs. Cleveland Clinic, OSU, Akron.by researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
I have not heard of him and I took a look at the list of papers that Dr. Cesario has co-authored. He has quite a breath of research in EP and particularly in the area of heart failure and VT. These are difficult patients to treat compare to lone AF. Unfortunately, it is hard to correlate research listings with ablation skills. You will have to find out directly how many AF ablations he has doby researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
Sue, Sorry to hear of your tamponade and not so merry Christmas eve. I think the top EP group in LA if you are set on not traveling would be Nademanee's group at White Memorial. If you are stuck with Kaiser, then I would ask to see if they would treat you at their Santa Clara center. The best option would be what Shannon suggested, have them cover a procedure at an EP of your choosing.by researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
Michael, happy new year to you too. I think getting Dr Natale to do your ablation is hard to beat. He also has access to all the latest tools. I don't know of any new new thing that would improve upon what he already has access to within the next several months. Did you pose the same question to him? If so, I would be curious in how he answers the question.by researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
Had a wonderful day. Hope everybody else had the same.by researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
This has been my family's hospital for surgery and ER since our kids were born. Interesting to see that they are busily using the system. Shannon and I posted about the lack of usage amongst the top guns a few months ago. The two EPs in this article have 10 and 20 years experience and not well known. My internist has good things to say about the EP director.by researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
There have been a number of interesting comments posted by users of Pradaxa and Warfarin in the comment section since the article was published. They are at the bottom of the web page.by researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
Erika - No for now and maybe never. High rate of tamponade in clinical trials out of Europe and no idea on power level, duration nor tissue penetration in beating heart. Human guinea pigs are being solicited to further the development. I am curious to know why you thought that laser is comparable to RF for heart tissue? Similar 980 nm lasers are being used in dentistry and dermatology but thoby researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
No idea. The math analysis part would be easy to port over to Android. The way the camera and flash work is probably the trickier part to transfer correctly over to other smart phones. iPhones are getting cheaper. Walmart has them on sale now. $50 for the 4 and $125 for the 5.by researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
EB, The shorter half life is mute if there is no reversal agent within the life saving time window is much shorter than the half life. Pradaxa half life is around 15 hours. It makes for good PR and that's about it. My father in law has had a number of ER visits to stop bleeds. The most dangerous portion of all those incidents is gaining the composure to get himself (or with friends or neby researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
regarding article below - seems heartwire is becoming the PR department of drug companies. I read the article and I am not reassured by the facts at all. For an active person like me that likes to do outdoor things, if a major bleed occurs, you better hope you are near a major hospital with ER blood transfusion capabilities or you are basically toast. Waiting for the reversal agent that is undby researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
Neil, Sorry to hear of your troubles. Has your EP talked with you about the possibility of Amiodarone causing Torsades that then becomes VF? The ICD is saving you but it can't be fun for that to fire off so often.by researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
Reddy would be fine if he doesn't try to talk you into doing a medical device trial.by researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
more detailed discussion re digoxin study -by researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
FDA releases advisory statement but still does not address reversal issue(s)by researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
There may well be skepticism of treating refractory hypertension and AF at the same time. I don't believe there is a real controversy about whether ablation works for resistant hypertension. They are trying to figure out how well it works or not now. There would only be a controversy if the resistant hypertension patients have alternatives.by researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
Peggy, Hospitals have to sign up to be included in the ratings so the foundation doesn't offer 100% coverage. For example, I looked up Maui Memorial and it wasn't on the list and that is the prime facility on that island where we visit a lot. Only Honolulu is covered. I am fortunate that the local hospitals that I use in Calif are all A's. UCLA Ronald Reagan Center got a F ratby researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
"a one year success rate of only 29% for paroxysmal AFIB even using just PVI alone is at the very low end of the scale. " You are being tough on the Siberian EP center :-)by researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
Type in your zip code or location of choice.by researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM
Interesting approach. They are starting a big trial based upon initial results that show promise.by researcher - AFIBBERS FORUM