The purpose of this study was to review the initial experience of a university hospital with Implantable Loop Recorders (ILR) for diagnosis of recurrent unexplained syncope or presyncope. Twelve patients with syncope or presyncope of unknown etiology (who had a negative tilt table test, electrophysiologic study, and neurologic work-up) underwent implantation of ILR. All implants were performed using the Reveal™ ILR (Medtronic AVE, Santa Rosa, California). The 8 cc device is 61 mm long, 19 mm wide, 8 mm thick and weighs 17 grams. It has 18 months of battery life and has 2 electrodes with 38.5 mm spacing. The device is nonvascular and is implanted approximately 2 fingerbreadths below the clavicle in a subcutaneous pocket (1.5 inches long) and is secured via polydacron suture to the pre-pectoral fascia/pectoralis muscle.

Over 4.7 million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with heart failure and more than 550,000 new cases are reported each year. Interestingly, heart failure is the only major cardiovascular disorder that is increasing in incidence.

The Wisconsin Electrophysiology Group consists of eight full-time electrophysiologists who provide EP services at more than 15 healthcare facilities statewide — primarily at major Milwaukee medical centers, but also at smaller community hospitals throughout Wisconsin and in northern Illinois.

In the January issue of EP Lab Digest, we published a news release regarding the use of Medtronic’s new CareLink™ Programmer (see sidebar). During the procedure, two colleagues in different locations implanted an ICD in a patient. We had the opportunity to speak with one of those physicians, Dr. Anne Gillis, who is an EP Lab Digest editorial board member, about her experience with this innovative software.

CathEffects™, which was founded in 1999, designs, develops, and manufactures electrophysiology mapping catheters, mapping systems, and ablation catheters for cardiac arrhythmia diagnosis and therapy. They are headquartered in Roseville, California. The company’s products are backed by over a decade of research and development and protected by 14 issued and other pending U.S. and international patents. Their Desai VectorCath™ Mapping System was recently approved in February 2002. The Desai VectorCath™ Mapping Catheter is the company’s core technology and was cleared by the U.S. FDA for commercial sale in late 2001.

Recently, there has been a great deal of success in ablating re-entrant tachycardias. However, it is still important to be able to identify the different types. This author walks you through the steps in initiating and terminating these re-entrant rhythms.

Read about one lab’s struggle to improve device patient follow-up. Their findings resulted in increased patient satisfaction, financial benefits, and decreased administrative burden.

Running two dedicated EP labs, as well as a busy outpatient clinic, is not easy work! Learn how they have been able to cut time considerably and maximize their efficiency.

Running two dedicated EP labs, as well as a busy outpatient clinic, is not easy work! Learn how they have been able to cut time considerably and maximize their efficiency.