January 2013

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Volume 13 Issue 1

Editorial Staff

Clinical Editor
Bradley Knight, MD
Executive Editor
Laurie Gustafson
Managing Editor
Jodie Elrod
Production Manager
Alexa Flinn

Editorial Correspondence

Jodie Elrod, Managing Editor, EP Lab Digest
HMP Communications, 70 E. Swedesford Rd
Suite 100, Malvern PA 19355
Telephone: (800) 371-0791

Fax: (866) 488-8273
Email: jelrod@hmpglobal.com
Focal Impulse and Rotor Modulation (FIRM) for Paroxysmal and Persistent Atrial Fibrillation
ABSTRACT: One reason that ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) remains suboptimal is that mechanistic targets for energy delivery are imprecise. Despite the ‘triggers’ versus ‘substrate’ debate for AF, ‘triggers’ initiate all arrhythmias and ablatio…
Changes Coming for 2013 CPT Codes
The 2013 CPT codes have been finalized; brace for an overhaul in the way you report ablation procedures effective January 1st. Gone are the codes we’ve used for eons to report all SVT and VT ablations — in their place are monolithic beasts which must…
Genesis HealthCare System
Genesis HealthCare System is an integrated health care delivery system based in Zanesville, Ohio. The system includes a 334-bed, not-for-profit acute care hospital that operates at two Zanesville sites — Genesis-Bethesda and Genesis-Good Samaritan. T…
MADIT-RIT: What are the Takeaways for Busy Device Clinicians?
In the early days of ICD therapy, most clinicians programmed defibrillations under the motto, “Shock early.” In setting up the patient’s therapy algorithms, most clinicians preferred to err on the side of delivering therapy — and delivering it faster…
The PVC and Cardiomyopathy: Which Came First?
Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) are found frequently in patients both with structural heart disease and without disease. The recommended treatment for PVCs has been evolving over the years. The level of importance relegated to the presence…
Dealing with the Unintended Consequences of ICD Therapy
While the efficacy of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) and biventricular ICDs is well established, the concept of unintended consequences is often overlooked. For patients who meet the criteria to receive these devices, the need to have…
Think Before You Choose: The Case Against the Routine Use of Dual Coil ICD Leads
Transvenous lead management begins before the implantation of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). Individualized patient and hardware selection is mandatory. Far too often, selections are made because “that is what I have always done,” w…
Utilizing the Cryoballoon to Isolate the PVs: Do Not Fear the Common
The management of atrial fibrillation has evolved dramatically over the past 25 years. New antiarrhythmic drugs have become available to treat patients with AF who also have structural heart disease. Techniques and technologies have also advanced. Th…
Nonfluoroscopic Catheter Ablation Study: Interview with Mansour Razminia, MD
In this interview we speak with Mansour Razminia, MD, about his techniques for nonfluoroscopic catheter ablation of cardiac arrhythmias in adults.1 Dr. Razminia and colleagues recently published research from their retrospective analysis performed in…
Creating an Atrial Fibrillation Center of Excellence: A ‘Football’ Playbook to Jumpstart Your Game
A desire for a comprehensive way to manage atrial fibrillation patients has led many hospitals to pursue the concept of an “Atrial Fibrillation Center of Excellence.” This approach allows for the necessary expertise, program focus, and dedication to…