Wall Scar Research Articles

Prognostic impact of diagnosis-to-ablation time on outcomes following catheter ablation in persistent atrial fibrillation and left ventricular systolic dysfunction

BackgroundThe optimal timing of catheter ablation in individuals with atrial fibrillation (AF) and left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) remains uncertain. ObjectiveWe examined whether AF diagnosis to ablation time (DAT) influences outcomes following catheter ablation (CA) in patients with persistent AF (PsAF) and LVSD from the CAMERA-MRI and CAPLA randomized studies. MethodsWe evaluated clinical outcomes according to DAT < 1 year (“shorter DAT”) and ≥1 year (“longer DAT”), comparing AF recurrence, AF burden, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and LV recovery (LVEF ≥ 50%) at 12 months. DAT was also compared according to the median (24 months). ResultsTwo hundred and ten individuals with AF and LVSD were identified, with a median DAT of 24 months. Shorter DAT was associated with lower LA global and posterior wall scar (<0.05 mV; both P < .05). At 12 months, 69.4% with shorter DAT (<1year) were free from recurrent atrial arrhythmias vs 53.6% in longer DAT (hazard ratio [HR] 1.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01–2.65, P = .040). Median AF burden was 0% in both groups (shorter DAT: interquartile range [IQR] 0.0–2.0% vs longer DAT: IQR 0.0–7.3%, P = .017). At 12 months, shorter DAT was associated with higher LVEF (55.3% vs 51.0%, P = .009), greater LVEF improvement (+20.8 ± 13.0% vs +13.9 ± 13.2% longer DAT, P < .001) and LV recovery (75.0% vs longer DAT: 57.2%, P = .011). Shorter DAT was associated with fewer hospitalizations and electrical cardioversions at 12 months. ConclusionIn individuals with AF and LVSD, shorter DAT was associated with greater LVEF improvement and arrhythmia-free survival with lower AF burden and rehospitalization at 12 months, highlighting the prognostic benefit of early CA in AF and LVSD.

In vivo assessment of bladder cancer with diffuse reflectance and fluorescence spectroscopy: A comparative study.

The aim of this work is to assess the performance of multimodal spectroscopic approach combined with single core optical fiber for detection of bladder cancer during surgery in vivo. Multimodal approach combines diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), fluorescence spectroscopy in the visible (405 nm excitation) and near-infrared (NIR) (690 nm excitation) ranges, and high-wavenumber Raman spectroscopy. All four spectroscopic methods were combined in a single setup. For 21 patients with suspected bladder cancer or during control cystoscopy optical spectra of bladder cancer, healthy bladder wall tissue and/or scars were measured. Classification of cancerous and healthy bladder tissue was performed using machine learning methods. Statistically significant differences in relative total haemoglobin content, oxygenation, scattering, and visible fluorescence intensity were found between tumor and normal tissues. The combination of DRS and visible fluorescence spectroscopy allowed detecting cancerous tissue with sensitivity and specificity of 78% and 91%, respectively. The addition of features extracted from NIR fluorescence and Raman spectra did not improve the quality of classification. This study demonstrates that multimodal spectroscopic approach allows increasing sensitivity and specificity of bladder cancer detection in vivo. The developed approach does not require special probes and can be used with single-core optical fibers applied for laser surgery.

Malignancy in Abdominal Wall Endometriosis: Is There a Way to Avoid It? A Systematic Review.

Background: Malignant-associated abdominal wall endometriosis (AWE) is a rare pathology, likely to occur in 1% of scar endometriosis. The objectives of this study were to update the evidence on tumor degeneration arising from AWE to notify about the clinical characteristics, the different treatments offered to patients and their outcomes. Methods: A comprehensive systematic review of the literature was conducted. PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library databases were used. Prospero (ID number: CRD42024505274). Results: Out of the 152 studies identified, 63 were included, which involved 73 patients. The main signs and symptoms were a palpable abdominal mass (85.2%) and cyclic pelvic pain (60.6%). The size of the mass varied between 3 and 25 cm. Mean time interval from the first operation to onset of malignant transformation was 20 years. Most common cancerous histological types were clear cell and endometrioid subtypes. Most widely accepted treatment is the surgical resection of local lesions with wide margins combined with adjuvant chemotherapy. The prognosis for endometriosis-associated malignancy in abdominal wall scars is poor, with a five-year survival rate of around 40%. High rates of relapse have been reported. Conclusions: Endometrial implants in the abdominal wall should be considered as preventable complications of gynecological surgeries. Special attention should be paid to women with a history of cesarean section or uterine surgery.

Distribution of Nerve Fibers in Abdominal Wall Endometriosis and Their Clinical Significance.

This study aimed to explore the distribution of nerve fibers in abdominal wall endometriosis (AWE) and discern their association with pain. A retrospective case-control study was conducted. The cases comprised 30 patients diagnosed with AWE, while the control group consisted of 17 patients who had undergone laparotomy without any history of endometriosis. We analyzed clinical characteristics and examined the innervation patterns in samples using stains for S-100, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), protein gene product 9.5 (PGP9.5), neurofilament (NF), and substance P (SP) antibodies. There was a notable increase in the density of S-100, NSE and PGP9.5 immunoreactive nerve fibers and a higher proportion of SP positivity in AWE lesions compared to standard abdominal wall scars (p < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in the density or proportion of NF-immunoreactive nerve fibers between the cases and the controls. Moreover, no statistically significant correlation was observed between the density of S-100, NSE, PGP9.5, NF, or SP-positive nerve fibers and pain scores. This study demonstrated an increased immunoreactive nerve fiber density located in AWE lesions compared to normal abdominal wall scars. Further high-quality studies are needed to investigate the mechanisms responsible for pain in women with endometriosis.

Electrophysiological Characterization of Subclinical and Overt Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy by Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Guided Electrocardiography

BackgroundVentricular arrhythmia in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) relates to adverse structural change and genetic status. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR)–guided electrocardiographic imaging (ECGI) noninvasively maps cardiac structural and electrophysiological (EP) properties. ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to establish whether in subclinical HCM (genotype [G]+ left ventricular hypertrophy [LVH]−), ECGI detects early EP abnormality, and in overt HCM, whether the EP substrate relates to genetic status (G+/G−LVH+) and structural phenotype. MethodsThis was a prospective 211-participant CMR-ECGI multicenter study of 70 G+LVH−, 104 LVH+ (51 G+/53 G−), and 37 healthy volunteers (HVs). Local activation time (AT), corrected repolarization time, corrected activation-recovery interval, spatial gradients (GAT/GRTc), and signal fractionation were derived from 1,000 epicardial sites per participant. Maximal wall thickness and scar burden were derived from CMR. A support vector machine was built to discriminate G+LVH− from HV and low-risk HCM from those with intermediate/high-risk score or nonsustained ventricular tachycardia. ResultsCompared with HV, subclinical HCM showed mean AT prolongation (P = 0.008) even with normal 12-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs) (P = 0.009), and repolarization was more spatially heterogenous (GRTc: P = 0.005) (23% had normal ECGs). Corrected activation-recovery interval was prolonged in overt vs subclinical HCM (P < 0.001). Mean AT was associated with maximal wall thickness; spatial conduction heterogeneity (GAT) and fractionation were associated with scar (all P < 0.05), and G+LVH+ had more fractionation than G−LVH+ (P = 0.002). The support vector machine discriminated subclinical HCM from HV (10-fold cross-validation accuracy 80% [95% CI: 73%-85%]) and identified patients at higher risk of sudden cardiac death (accuracy 82% [95% CI: 78%-86%]). ConclusionsIn the absence of LVH or 12-lead ECG abnormalities, HCM sarcomere gene mutation carriers express an aberrant EP phenotype detected by ECGI. In overt HCM, abnormalities occur more severely with adverse structural change and positive genetic status.

Effective ablation of atrial tachycardia with an epicardial circuit-insights from endocardial scars sites: a case study.

A previous study reported primary macroreentrant atrial tachycardia (AT) in the left atrium (LA), including the epicardial circuit on a left atrial anterior wall (LAAW) scar, without any prior cardiac intervention (Miyazawa et al. in J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol 2019; 30: 263-264). However, determining the target for terminating macroreentrant ATs is challenging. The mapping revealed a centrifugal pattern but did not fully elucidate the AT circuit. The reentrant mechanism of these ATs was confirmed using entrainment pacing. The earliest excitation site (EES) was traditionally selected as the ablation site, typically located in healthy tissue. However, our two cases provide new insights into AT termination, including the epicardial bridge across the endocardial LAAW scar, using minimum ablation points, without the need to ablate the healthy EES.

Hybrid convergent ablation: an evaluation of left atrial electroanatomical voltage maps

Abstract Background Hybrid convergent ablation is an effective, emerging treatment for persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) (1). Minimally invasive surgical epicardial left atrial (LA) ablation is performed via a subxiphoid incision to ablate the posterior wall, within the limits of the pericardial reflections, before endocardial catheter ablation is performed primarily to complete pulmonary vein isolation. The overall aim is to create durable, transmural posterior wall ablation to target potential drivers that may sustain persistent AF. Purpose We evaluated electroanatomical maps obtained during endocardial ablation to determine the site and extent of LA posterior wall scar following epicardial ablation and whether this determines outcome in patients undergoing convergent ablation. Methods Patients who underwent Convergent ablation at a single UK cardiac centre (2012-2019) using CARTO-3 mapping system for endocardial ablation were included. Patients who had previous AF ablation were excluded. Low-voltage areas (LVAs) were manually measured using the CARTO-3 system and defined as areas &amp;lt;0.5mV on bipolar voltage maps (pulmonary veins were excluded). Scar location was classified by evaluating for presence and amount of LVA in each quadrant of the posterior LA wall. AF recurrence was evaluated at 12 months post-procedure. SPSS (v. 27) was used for statistical analysis. Results Of the 32 patients included, 7 patients experienced AF recurrence within 12 months post-procedure (21.9%). The average amount of posterior wall LVA following convergent ablation was 54.1% of posterior wall area and 5.8% of total left atrial area, neither of which were associated with 12-month AF recurrence (see Table 1). The presence and extent of LVAs in the upper quadrants were heterogeneous amongst patients and did not relate to AF recurrence. All patients displayed LVAs in the lower quadrants post-epicardial ablation, with the majority having LVAs occupying more than 50% of these quadrants. 96.8% had LVA on the inferior LA surface. In total, 75% of patients had a significant amount of LVA (defined as LVA occupying &amp;gt;50% of the quadrant area) in both lower posterior wall quadrants (see Figure 1) and this feature was associated with lower AF recurrence on multivariable Cox regression analysis (see Table 1). Conclusions Extensive scar was observed in the LA posterior wall in patients following epicardial convergent ablation. The presence of such scar, particularly in the lower regions of the posterior wall, may influence outcomes and be associated with reduced AF recurrence.Table 1Figure 1

The application and progress of tissue engineering and biomaterial scaffolds for total auricular reconstruction in microtia.

Microtia is a congenital deformity of the ear with an incidence of about 0.8-4.2 per 10,000 births. Total auricular reconstruction is the preferred treatment of microtia at present, and one of the core technologies is the preparation of cartilage scaffolds. Autologous costal cartilage is recognized as the best material source for constructing scaffold platforms. However, costal cartilage harvest can lead to donor-site injuries such as pneumothorax, postoperative pain, chest wall scar and deformity. Therefore, with the need of alternative to autologous cartilage, in vitro and in vivo studies of biomaterial scaffolds and cartilage tissue engineering have gradually become novel research hot points in auricular reconstruction research. Tissue-engineered cartilage possesses obvious advantages including non-rejection, minimally invasive or non-invasive, the potential of large-scale production to ensure sufficient donors and controllable morphology. Exploration and advancements of tissue-engineered cartilaginous framework are also emerging in aspects including three-dimensional biomaterial scaffolds, acquisition of seed cells and chondrocytes, 3D printing techniques, inducing factors for chondrogenesis and so on, which has greatly promoted the research process of biomaterial substitute. This review discussed the development, current application and research progress of cartilage tissue engineering in auricular reconstruction, particularly the usage and creation of biomaterial scaffolds. The development and selection of various types of seed cells and inducing factors to stimulate chondrogenic differentiation in auricular cartilage were also highlighted. There are still confronted challenges before the clinical application becomes widely available for patients, and its long-term effect remains to be evaluated. We hope to provide guidance for future research directions of biomaterials as an alternative to autologous cartilage in ear reconstruction, and finally benefit the transformation and clinical application of cartilage tissue engineering and biomaterials in microtia treatment.

Predictive value of abdominal wall scar score for pelvic floor function rehabilitation, vaginal microecology and complications after cesarean section.

To explore the predictive value of the abdominal wall scar score for pelvic floor function rehabilitation, vaginal microecology and complications after cesarean section. A total of 120 pregnant women who underwent cesarean section in our hospital from January to December 2022 were selected. The patients were divided into observation group (score ≥ 60, n = 52) and control group (score < 60, n = 68) according to the preoperative score of abdominal wall scar and whether the score exceeded 60. The pelvic floor function rehabilitation, vaginal microecology and complications were compared between the two groups, and the score of abdominal wall scar was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The predictive value of pelvic floor function rehabilitation, vaginal microecology and complications after cesarean section was evaluated. There were significant differences between the two groups in postpartum class I and class II muscle fiber strength and pelvic floor muscle potential (P < 0.05). ROC curve showed that the AUC of abdominal scar score in predicting pelvic floor function rehabilitation was 0.806 (95% CI [0.684-0.927]), the specificity was 80.17%, and the sensitivity was 79.76%. There was significant difference in the abnormal rate of leukocte estrase (LE) and Acetylaminoglucosidase (NAG) between the two groups (P < 0.05). ROC curve showed that the AUC of abdominal scar score in predicting vaginal microecology was 0.871 (95% CI [0.776-0.966]), the specificity was 85.09%, and the sensitivity was 82.36%. There was significant difference in the incidence of postpartum complications between the two groups (P < 0.05). ROC curve showed that the AUC of abdominal scar score in predicting complications was 0.844 (95% CI [0.735-0.953]), the specificity was 82.27%, and the sensitivity was 81.15%. The abdominal scar score has a certain effect on predicting the recovery of pelvic floor function, vaginal microecology and complications after cesarean section. Therefore, it can help the medical staff to adjust the treatment measures in time, which can be used as a means of preoperative auxiliary examination.

Genome-wide DNA methylation analysis of Astragalus and Danshen on the intervention of myofibroblast activation in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

BackgroundIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a chronic progressive interstitial lung disease of unknown etiology, is characterized by continuous damage to alveolar epithelial cells, abnormal repair of alveolar tissue, and alveolar wall scar formation. Currently, the recommended treatment for IPF in Western medicine is relatively limited. In contrast, traditional Chinese medicine and compound prescriptions show advantages in the diagnosis and treatment of IPF, which can be attributed to their multi-channel and multi-target characteristics and minimal side-effects. The purpose of this study was to further corroborate the effectiveness and significance of the traditional Chinese medications Astragalus and Danshen in IPF treatment.MethodsWe performed whole-genome methylation analysis on nine rat lung tissue samples to determine the epigenetic variation between IPF and non-fibrotic lungs using Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reactions.ResultsWe identified differentially methylated regions and 105 associated key functional genes in samples related to IPF and Chinese medicine treatment. Based on the methylation levels and gene expression profiles between the Chinese medicine intervention and pulmonary fibrosis model groups, we speculated that Astragalus and Salvia miltiorrhiza (traditionally known as Danshen) act on the Isl1, forkhead box O3, and Sonic hedgehog genes via regulation at transcriptional and epigenetic levels during IPF.ConclusionsThese findings provide novel insights into the epigenetic regulation of IPF, indicate the effectiveness of Astragalus and Danshen in treating IPF, and suggest several promising therapeutic targets for preventing and treating IPF.

PARAMETERS OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF WOMEN WITH HIP ARTHROPLASTY IN THE POSTPARTUM PERIOD (ABDOMINAL DELIVERY) AS A CRITERION FOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A PHYSICAL THERAPY PROGRAM

Abstract. Purpose: to determine the parameters of the quality of life of women with an endoprosthetic hip joint in the postpartum period as a criterion for the effectiveness of the physical therapy program.&#x0D; Methods. In the course of the study, 9 women aged 28.5±1.6 years were examined 1 month after childbirth, which took place by caesarean section. The developed program of physical therapy lasted 1 month (from the end of the first month after childbirth). In her process, therapeutic exercises for the trunk, upper and lower limbs were used; functional training to improve movements related to child care, Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation of lower limbs, back, trunk; massage of lower limbs, back. We took into account movement restrictions associated with an incompletely formed scar after cesarean section and with the presence of an endoprosthesis (excessive bending, rotation of the hip joint); accordingly, they created safe movement strategies related to child care (lifting, carrying) and transporting a baby carriage. Individual determination of short- and long-term goals of rehabilitation contributed to the improvement of psycho-emotional mood and increased compliance of women. The effectiveness of the tested program was evaluated using the standard SF-36 quality of life questionnaire («Medical outcomes study short form»).&#x0D; Results. During the initial examination, all women with hip arthroplasty in the postpartum period were found to have a deterioration in the quality of life according to the SF-36. Overloading of elements of the musculoskeletal system during pregnancy and changes in the biomechanics of a woman's body, which causes certain physical discomfort, is justified by hormonal and physical processes.During repeated testing, the effectiveness of the physical therapy program was confirmed by its positive impact on both scales - physical and mental functioning. The difference between the results of Physical health at the initial and repeated examination according to the Physical Functioning scale in the examined women was 41.9%, Role-Physical – 39.4%, Bodily Pain – 26.0%, General Health – 42.2%. Accordingly, for all subscales of Physical health, a statistically significant improvement in the condition of women was obtained compared to the initial parameters (р&lt;0.05). The improvement of Mental health in comparison with the primary result on the Vitality scale in the examined women was 26.9%, Social Functioning - 60.3%, Role-Emotional - 32.5%; Mental Health - 49.9%. Therefore, a statistically significant improvement in the condition of women compared to the initial parameters was obtained for all subscales of Mental health (р&lt;0.05).&#x0D; Conclusions. In women with an endoprosthetic hip joint in the postpartum period (abdominal delivery), a significant decrease in the physical and mental components of quality of life, determined by the SF-36 questionnaire, was found. The use of physical therapy (therapeutic exercises, functional training, massage taking into account the limitations of the abdominal wall scar and the functionality of the endoprosthesis) caused a statistically significant (p&lt;0.05) improvement in the condition of the examined women in all subscales of SF-36 - physical and role functioning, pain intensity , general state of health, vitality, social functioning, influence of emotional state on role functioning; self-assessment of mental health.

(214) Female bmg Urethroplasty and 2nd Degree Vaginal Tear Repair

Abstract Introduction Pregnancy and childbirth bring biological, psychological, and social changes which may influence women's health. Objective Second degree tears are the most common type of tear. A female urethral stricture is a less common condition. Buccal mucosa graft (BMG) is widely used tissue for urethral stricture repair. Methods We present a 38-year old female who suffered a 9-year long history of urethral stricture disease and dyspareunia after two vaginal child births. The patient (pt) had urethral injury and 2nd degree tear in vaginal wall and pelvic muscle. Despite repeated attempts of urethral dilations, the stricture and the obstructive complaints persisted. Additionally, lack of sexual arousal and painful intercourses, affected the patient’s quality of life. The pt was treated with a dorsal onlay urethroplasty using a buccal mucosa graft, excision of vaginal wall scar, pelvic floor muscle repair, and repair of vaginal opening The surgery was carried out with a suprameatal approach. A semicircular incision was performed and the urethra was dissected from the ventral aspect of the clitoris with a sharp and blunt dissection up to the proximal part of stricture. Then, a dorsal sagittal incision is performed over the stricture and the BMG is sutured dorsally for the edges and quilted with 4.0 polyglactin sutures. A 16Fr Foley catheter was left in place for two weeks. Then, we performed hydrodissection of posterior vaginal wall, scar excision from episiotomy and 2nd degree tear, approximation of levator ani muscle, vaginal wall and opening repair. Results Two weeks after surgery the patient urinates without strain and with no post voiding residual urine. Uroflow 6 weeks after surgery showed Qmax of 28ml/sec and urethra was easily passable for 20Fr Nelaton catheter. Eight weeks after surgery the patient reported having a normal sexual life without pain and lack of sexual satisfaction Conclusions Female dorsal onlay urethroplasty and vaginal wall tear repair are feasible and give great functional and aesthetical results Disclosure No

PO-04-038 ULTRA HIGH DENSITY MAPPING TO IDENTIFY MICRO-REENTRANT LEFT ATRIAL FLUTTER CIRCUITS WITHIN LOW BIPOLAR VOLTAGE REGIONS: A CASE SERIES

Micro-reentrant (MR) atrial flutter (AFL) circuits may not be evident with standard bipolar or multipolar mapping. We report 3 cases of left atrial (LA) AFL where HD Grid + Omnipolar technology (Ensite X, Abbott) revealed MR circuits within an area of scar as noted by standard multipolar mapping. N/A Three patients with prior LA ablation presented with symptomatic AFL. LA mapping was done using the Ensite X system in Voxel mode. Bipolar voltage cutoff was set at 0.3 to 0.05 mV. A 65-year-old presented with AFL CL of 335 ms. Mapping with an Advisor spiral showed a large posterior wall scar and no AFL circuit in LA or RA. Remapping with HD Grid identified a 12 mm MR circuit with entire CL in the low LA posterior wall which showed dense scar by spiral mapping (Figure 1A). A 59-year-old male presented with AFL CL of 340 ms with proximal to distal CS activation. HD grid mapping identified a 21 mm MR circuit in the mid LA posterior with fractionated mid-diastolic electrograms (Figure 1B and 1C). Third patient was a 54-year-old male who had a MR circuit in the posterolateral mitral annulus, otherwise noted as scar by bipolar mapping. Successful ablation sites in all 3 cases did not have an identifiable bipolar electrogram on ablation catheter (<0.05 mV, Figure 1 D). Low voltage cut off during HD mapping was manually adjusted and had to be lowered to 0.04 to identify the circuit in all cases. This case series demonstrates that ultra high-density mapping with HD Grid + Omnipolar technology, with dynamic adjustment of low voltage threshold, enables identification of MR AFL circuits, leading to successful ablation, where critical isthmi were not identified by standard bipolar or multipolar mapping.

Effect of scar and His-Purkinje and myocardium conduction on response to conduction system pacing.

Conduction system pacing (CSP), in the form of His bundle pacing (HBP) or left bundle branch pacing (LBBP), is emerging as a valuable cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) delivery method. However, patient selection and therapy personalization for CSP delivery remain poorly characterized. We aim to compare pacing-induced electrical synchrony during CRT, HBP, LBBP, HBP with left ventricular (LV) epicardial lead (His-optimizedCRT [HOT-CRT]), and LBBP with LV epicardial lead (LBBP-optimized CRT [LOT-CRT]) in patients with different conduction disease presentations using computational modeling. We simulated ventricular activation on 24four-chamber heart geometries, including His-Purkinje systems with proximal left bundle branch block (LBBB). We simulated septal scar, LV lateral wall scar, and mild and severe myocardium and LV His-Purkinje system conduction disease by decreasing the conduction velocity (CV) down to 70% and 35% of the healthy CV. Electrical synchrony was measured by the shortest interval to activate 90% of the ventricles (90% of biventricular activation time [BIVAT-90]). Severe LV His-Purkinje conduction disease favored CRT (BIVAT-90: HBP 101.5 ± 7.8 ms vs.CRT 93.0 ± 8.9 ms, p < .05), with additional electrical synchrony induced by HOT-CRT (87.6 ± 6.7 ms, p < .05) and LOT-CRT (73.9 ± 7.6 ms, p < .05). Patients with slow myocardium CV benefit more from CSP compared to CRT (BIVAT-90: CRT 134.5 ± 24.1 ms; HBP 97.1 ± 9.9 ms, p < .01; LBBP: 101.5 ± 10.7 ms, p < .01). Septal but not lateral wall scar made CSP ineffective, while CRT was able to resynchronize the ventricles in the presence of septal scar (BIVAT-90: baseline 119.1 ± 10.8 ms vs.CRT 85.1 ± 14.9 ms, p < .01). Severe LV His-Purkinje conduction disease attenuates the benefits of CSP, with additional improvements achieved with HOT-CRT and LOT-CRT. Septal but not lateral wall scars make CSP ineffective.

Abstract 11350: Arrhythmogenic Mitral Valve Prolaspe and Mitral Annular Disjunction

Background: Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) affects about 2-3% of the general population. A small proportion of persons may have arrhythmic symptoms, leading to ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death (SCD). Mitral annular disjunction is a recently described entity that may be present with MVP or independently. Case: A 55-year-old male patient presented to the hospital with cardiac arrest. He has a history of percutaneous coronary intervention with stenting to left anterior descending (LAD) and right coronary artery (RCA) in 2015. He had ventricular fibrillation (VF) and subsequently arrested and underwent resuscitation. Electrocardiogram (EKG) showed sinus rhythm with prolonged QTc 487msec with no ischemia; echocardiography showed mitral annular disjunction, severe left ventricular global hypokinesis with ejection fraction of 10%. Left heart catheterization revealed nonobstructive moderate coronary artery disease. Right heart catheterization showed a severely reduced cardiac index of 2.1, and he was placed on mechanical support (Impella) for cardiogenic shock. On day 5, repeat echocardiography revealed left ventricular ejection fraction of 60%. Subsequent cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) showed no evidence of infiltrative diseases but revealed an inferolateral wall scar from previous myocardial infarction and MVP with MAD. An implantable cardiac defibrillator was placed for secondary prevention of SCD. Discussion: The potential etiology of our patient's ventricular fibrillation cardiac arrest may include a scar from previous myocardial infarction or arrhythmogenic MVP with MAD. Myocardial fibrosis arising from MAD may be an origin of ectopic activity and arrhythmia. EKG, echocardiographic, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) are essential in diagnosing arrhythmic MVP and MAD. Young patients with premature ventricular contractions without clear etiology should be evaluated for MAD, and incidental findings of MAD should warrant further investigations, given its arrhythmogenic potential. Conclusion: MVP with MAD is associated with life-threatening arrhythmias. Further studies are required to explore treatment options to reduce the incidence of malignant VAs and SCDs in patients with MVP.

Regional left ventricle scar detection from routine cardiac computed tomography angiograms using latent space classification

Objectives:The aim of this study is to develop an automated method of regional scar detection on clinically standard computed tomography angiography (CTA) using encoder–decoder networks with latent space classification. Background:Localising scar in cardiac patients can assist in diagnosis and guide interventions. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) is the clinical gold standard for scar imaging; however, it is commonly contraindicated. CTA is an alternative imaging modality that has fewer contraindications and is widely used as a first-line imaging modality of cardiac applications. Methods:A dataset of 79 patients with both clinically indicated MRI LGE and subsequent CTA scans was used to train and validate networks to classify septal and lateral scar presence within short axis left ventricle slices. Two designs of encoder–decoder networks were compared, with one encoding anatomical shape in the latent space. Ground truth was established by segmenting scar in MRI LGE and registering this to the CTA images. Short axis slices were taken from the CTA, which served as the input to the networks. An independent external set of 22 cases (27% the size of the cross-validation set) was used to test the best network. Results:A network classifying lateral scar only achieved an area under ROC curve of 0.75, with a sensitivity of 0.79 and specificity of 0.62 on the independent test set. The results of septal scar classification were poor (AUC < 0.6) for all networks. This was likely due to a high class imbalance. The highest AUC network encoded anatomical shape information in the network latent space, indicating it was important for the successful classification of lateral scar. Conclusions:Automatic lateral wall scar detection can be performed from a routine cardiac CTA with reasonable accuracy, without any scar specific imaging. This requires only a single acquisition in the cardiac cycle. In a clinical setting, this could be useful for pre-procedure planning, especially where MRI is contraindicated. Further work with more septal scar present is warranted to improve the usefulness of this approach.

Exploring the impact of anterior chest wall scars from implantable venous ports in adolescent survivors of cancer.

In children with cancer, port-a-caths (ports) are commonly placed in the right anterior chest wall, leaving a visible scar when removed. The psychological impact of port scars on survivors is unknown. It is unclear whether alternative sites should be considered. We assessed the impact of port scars on pediatric cancer survivors to determine whether a change in location is indicated. We performed a cross-sectional single-center study of pediatric cancer survivors aged 13-18 years. A questionnaire explored participants' perceptions of their port scars. Four additional validated tools were used: Fitzpatrick scale, Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS), Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index, and a Distress Thermometer. Among 100 participants (median age 15.8 years [13-18], median duration since treatment 8 years [1.5-14.8]), 75 'never/occasionally' thought about their port scars, 85 were not bothered by its location and 87 would not have preferred another site. Eleven participants were highly impacted by their scars: six thought about their scar 'everyday/all the time', four were highly bothered by its location, and nine would have preferred a different location. There was an association between the desire for different scar location and how much the location bothered participants (p<0.0001), female sex (p=0.03) and Patient POSAS score (p=0.04). A port scar on the anterior chest wall was not a major concern for the majority of this cohort. A minority of participants were highly impacted by the scar and its location. Advance identification of those likely to be impacted by their scars may not be possible.

Are laparoscopic cholecystectomy and natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery gallbladder preserving cholecystolithotomy truly comparable? A propensity matched study.

BACKGROUNDCholecystectomy is the preferred treatment option for symptomatic gallstones. However, another option is gallbladder-preserving cholecystolithotomy which preserves the normal physiological functions of the gallbladder in patients desiring to avoid surgical resection.AIMTo compare the feasibility, safety and effectiveness of pure natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) gallbladder-preserving cholecystolithotomy vs laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for symptomatic gallstones.METHODSWe adopted propensity score matching (1:1) to compare trans-rectal NOTES cholecystolithotomy and LC patients with symptomatic gallstones. We reviewed 2511 patients with symptomatic gallstones from December 2017 to December 2020; 517 patients met the matching criteria (NOTES, 110; LC, 407), yielding 86 pairs.RESULTSThe technical success rate for the NOTES group was 98.9% vs 100% for the LC group. The median procedure time was 119 min [interquartile ranges (IQRs), 95-175] with NOTES vs 60 min (IQRs, 48-90) with LC (P < 0.001). The frequency of post-operative pain was similar between NOTES and LC: 4.7% (4/85) vs 5.8% (5/95) (P = 0.740). The median duration of post-procedure fasting with NOTES was 1 d (IQRs, 1-2) vs 2 d with LC (IQRs, 1-3) (P < 0.001). The median post-operative hospital stay for NOTES was 4 d (IQRs, 3-6) vs 4 d for LC (IQRs, 3-5), (P = 0.092). During follow-up, diarrhea was significantly less with NOTES (5.8%) compared to LC (18.6%) (P = 0.011). Gallstones and cholecystitis recurrence within a median of 12 mo (range: 6-40 mo) following NOTES was 10.5% and 3.5%, respectively. Concerns regarding the presence of abdominal wall scars were present in 17.4% (n = 15/86) of patients following LC (mainly women).CONCLUSIONNOTES provides a feasible new alternative scar-free treatment for patients who are unwilling or unable to undergo cholecystectomy. This minimally invasive organ-sparing procedure both removes the gallstones and preserves the physiological function of the gallbladder. Reducing gallstone recurrence is essential to achieving widespread clinical adoption of NOTES.

Anatomical Study of Abdominal Wall Muscles Innervation

BackgroundA variety of surgical specialties use different abdominal wall incisions to access the abdominal cavity. A thorough understanding of the anatomy, distribution, communication and course of these nerves are essential for surgeons. Anatomical knowledge remains limited. The anatomic relationships to other landmarks such as bone structures, ligaments, and muscles are important in prevention of peri‐operative complications such as abdominal muscle weakness, flank bulge, and incisional hernias. Imaging modalities do not provide many details about abdominal wall nerves.PurposeThe goal of this study is to provide a better understanding of the directions, course, communications, and branches of abdominal muscle wall nerves in order to minimize the risk of nerve injury.MethodFour frozen‐preserved cadavers with no abdominal wall scars visible were dissected layer by layer. The ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth intercostal nerves were dissected from the midline to the posterior axillary line.ResultThe ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth thoracolumbar nerves run in the same plane, between the internal oblique muscle and the transverse muscle, with varying directions and course. The T9 intercostal nerve has a horizontal course between the muscles, whereas the T10 and T11 and T12 have an oblique course toward the midline. Eleventh intercostal nerve, and twelfth subcostal nerves are bigger compared to the other nerves, with several communications and branches.ConclusionThe anatomy of nerves in abdominal muscles appears to be more complex and variable.Eleventh intercostal nerve and twelfth subcostal nerves appear to have larger contribution to the abdominal wall muscle innervation. They have a complex and variable network of communication. Preserving these nerves during surgical incisions, operation, and closure could help in the prevention of postoperative abdominal wall complications.

Combined assessment of septal scar and septal flash by cardiac magnetic resonance identifies responders to cardiac resynchronization therapy

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority. Research grants of the University of Leuven. Background Left ventricular (LV) scar, particularly in the lateral wall and septum, reduces response rate to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), whereas a dyssynchronous LV contraction pattern (septal flash) suggests good response. Lateral wall scar abolishes septal flash. Therefore, a combined approach of septal scar and septal flash may characterize the myocardial substrate responsive to CRT. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) may assess both scar and contraction pattern. Purpose The present study aimed to determine if combined assessment of septal scar and septal flash by CMR as single image modality identifies responders to CRT. Methods We investigated all CRT recipients with available CMR from a prospective, multicenter study (n = 136), with both ischemic and non-ischemic heart failure. Septal scar was assessed by late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) from a stack of short axis slices (n = 128) and septal flash determined visually on ordinary cine sequences (n = 136). CRT response was defined as ≥15% reduction in LV end-systolic volume by echocardiography at 6 months follow-up. We also assessed heart transplantation or death of any cause 39 ± 13 months after device implantation. Results In multivariate analysis including percentage septal scar (LGE), septal flash, QRS-duration and QRS-morphology, septal LGE and septal flash were the only independent predictors of CRT response (both p &amp;lt; 0.001). A combined approach of septal LGE and septal flash predicted CRT response with area under the curve 0.86 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.78-0.94) and long-term survival without heart transplantation with hazard ratio 0.18 (95% CI: 0.05-0.61). A practical approach to selection of CRT candidates by septal LGE and septal flash is illustrated in the present figure. As shown, absence of septal LGE indicated excellent response rate (93%) to CRT independent of other parameters. When septal LGE was present, however, overall response rate was substantially lower (58%), but presence or absence of septal flash separated responders from non-responders with high accuracy. This sequential approach correctly classified 86% of patients. Importantly, the approach was equally accurate in patients with intermediate QRS duration (130-150ms), where 93% of patients were correctly classified. Conclusions Combined assessment of septal LGE and septal flash by CMR as single image modality identifies CRT responders with high accuracy and predicts long-term survival. Abstract Figure.