Coronary Venous System (coronary + venous_system)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Simple Access to the Coronary Venous System for Left Ventricular Pacing

PACING AND CLINICAL ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 9 2003
DANY E. SAYAD
Implantation of the LV lead for biventricular pacing can be challenging, time consuming, and often requires extensive fluoroscopy time. A conventional diagnostic 5 Fr left Amplatz catheter was used to cannulate the coronary sinus in 15 consecutive patients undergoing implantation of a biventricular pacemaker. When the coronary sinus was cannulated, the proximal end of the Amplatz catheter was cut and the coronary sinus sheath was passed over the Amplatz catheter that was then removed. Coronary sinus cannulation was achieved in all 15 patients with a mean fluoroscopy time of3.34 ± 1.9 minutes. Subsequent implantation of a biventricular pacemaker was successful and free of complications in all the 15 patients. (PACE 2003; 26:1856,1858) [source]


Ablation of Posteroseptal and Left Posterior Accessory Pathways Guided by Left Atrium,Coronary Sinus Musculature Activation Sequence

JOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 7 2008
RÓBERT PAP M.D.
Introduction: While some posteroseptal and left posterior accessory pathways (APs) can be ablated on the tricuspid annulus or within the coronary venous system, others require a left-sided approach. "Fragmented" or double potentials are frequently recorded in the coronary sinus (CS), with a smaller, blunt component from left atrial (LA) myocardium, and a larger, sharp signal from the CS musculature. Methods and Results: Forty patients with posteroseptal or left posterior AP were included. The LA,CS activation sequence was determined at the earliest site during retrograde AP conduction. Eleven APs (27.5%) were ablated on the tricuspid annulus (right endocardial), 9 (22.5%) inside the coronary venous system (epicardial), and 20 (50%) on the mitral annulus (left endocardial). A "fragmented" or double "atrial" potential was recorded in all patients inside the CS at the earliest site during retrograde AP conduction. Sharp potential from the CS preceded the LA blunt component (sharp/blunt sequence) in all patients with an epicardial AP, and in 10 of 11 (91%) patients with a right endocardial AP. Therefore, 18 of 19 (95%) APs ablated by a right-sided approach produced this pattern. The reverse sequence (blunt/sharp) was recorded in 19 of 20 (95%) patients with a left endocardial AP. Conclusion: During retrograde AP conduction, the sequence of LA,CS musculature activation,as deduced from analysis of electrograms recorded at the earliest site inside the CS,can differentiate posteroseptal and left posterior APs that require left heart catheterization from those that can be eliminated by a totally venous approach. [source]


Temporary Occlusion of the Great Cardiac Vein and Coronary Sinus to Facilitate Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation of the Mitral Isthmus

JOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 6 2008
ANDRE D'AVILA M.D.
Introduction: Ablation of the mitral isthmus to achieve bidirectional conduction block is technically challenging, and incomplete block slows isthmus conduction and is often proarrhythmic. The presence of the blood pool in the coronary venous system may act as a heat-sink, thereby attenuating transmural RF lesion formation. This porcine study tested the hypothesis that elimination of this heat-sink effect by complete air occlusion of the coronary sinus (CS) would facilitate transmural endocardial ablation at the mitral isthmus. Methods: This study was performed in nine pigs using a 30 mm-long prototype linear CS balloon catheter able to occlude and displace the blood within the CS (the balloon was inflated with ,5 cc of air). Using a 3.5 mm irrigated catheter (35 W, 30 cc/min, 1 minute lesions), two sets of mitral isthmus ablation lines were placed per animal: one with the balloon deflated (CS open) and one inflated (CS Occluded). After ablation, gross pathological analysis of the linear lesions was performed. Results: A total of 17 ablation lines were placed: 7 with CS Occlusion, and 10 without occlusion. Despite similar biophysical characteristics of the individual lesions, lesion transmurality was consistently noted only when using the air-filled CS balloon. Conclusions: Temporary displacement of the venous blood pool using an air-filled CS balloon permits transmurality of mitral isthmus ablation; this may obviate the need for ablation within the CS to achieve bidirectional mitral isthmus conduction. [source]


Importance of Anterograde Visualization of the Coronary Venous Network by Selective Left Coronary Angiography Prior To Resynchronization

PACING AND CLINICAL ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 1 2007
NICOLAS DELARCHE M.D.
Background: Understanding of coronary anatomy is essential to the advancement of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) techniques. We determined whether the difficulties associated with catheterization of the coronary sinus (CS) and its lateral branches could be overcome by a preliminary angiographical study of the coronary venous system carried out during a pre-operative coronary angiography with examination of venous return. Methods and Results: All patients were scheduled for an exploratory angiography procedure and indicated for CRT. Group A patients were implanted with a CRT device after a right arterial angiographical procedure while group B patients had a selective left angiogram including examination of venous return. Data analyzed in group B were: position of CS ostium, number and distribution of lateral branches, and ability to preselect a marginal vein suitable for catheterization. Subsequent device implantation was guided by these parameters. A total of 96 and 89 patients were included in groups A and B, respectively. Implantation success rates were not different (98% and 100%, respectively), but CS catheterization time was reduced in group B (6 minutes vs 4 minutes; P < 10,6) as well as total time required to position the left ventricular lead (25 minutes vs 15 minutes; P < 10,6), fluoroscopy exposure (7 minutes vs 5 minutes; P < 10,6), and volume of contrast medium required (45 mL vs 15 mL; P < 10,6). Conclusion: A coronary angiographical study, including examination of the coronary venous return prior to implantation of a CRT device, can simplify the device implant and allows patient-specific preselection of appropriate tools for the procedure. [source]


Inhibition of Biventricular Pacemakers by Oversensing of Far-Field Atrial Depolarization

PACING AND CLINICAL ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 3 2002
IGOR LIPCHENCA
LIPCHENCA, I., et al.: Inhibition of Biventricular Pacemakers by Oversensing of Far-Field Atrial Depo-larization. This report describes two patients who exhibited far-field oversensing of the P wave by the ventricular channel of a DDD biventricular pacemaker implanted for the treatment of congestive heart failure. Oversensing probably occurred secondary to slight displacement of the left ventricular lead in the coronary venous system. Long-term reliable pacing was restored by decreasing the sensitivity of the ventricular channel. [source]


Cardiac veins: A review of the literature

CLINICAL ANATOMY, Issue 1 2009
Marios Loukas
Abstract Cardiac veins have long stood in the shadow of their more extensively studied counterparts, the coronary arteries. The clinical importance of the coronary venous system, nonetheless, should not be underestimated. Intricate and beneficial therapeutic options are increasingly being developed that depend on knowledge of the structure of this venous network. Such interventions have been shown greatly to promote cardiac health, and to enhance the efficacy of cardiac pacing. A comprehensive appreciation of the architecture of the coronary venous system, therefore, is crucial to optimal cardiac care. It is possible to provide an overview of the arrangement of the cardiac veins, with the larger veins draining to the coronary sinus, and thence to the right atrium, but with smaller and minimal veins draining directly to the cavities of the atrial chambers. The venous pathways, nonetheless, are highly variable, making exceptions the commonly accepted rule. As such, unique solutions for imaging, and simple attentiveness to possible venous variations, can greatly enhance clinical outcomes. For example, identifying the diameter, course, and valves of the cardiac veins allows for anticipation of impediments during interventional procedures, and allows for informed clinical decision-making. Also of significance is awareness of alternate arrangements that may be encountered in terms of venous drainage, and the importance of intramural venous collecting spaces in these patterns. The objective of our review, therefore, is to explore and describe the anatomical distribution of the coronary veins Clin. Anat. 22:129,145, 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]