Among patients with persistent atrial fibrillation, we found no reduction in the rate of recurrent atrial fibrillation when either linear ablation or ablation of complex fractionated electrograms was performed in addition to pulmonary-vein isolation. (Funded by St. Jude Medical; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01203748.).

ResultsContinence was attained in 79 patients (79%) after a median of 126 days. The DL model achieved a C-index of 0.6 and an MAE of 85.9 in predicting continence. APMs were ranked higher by the model than clinicopathological features. In the historical cohort, patients in Group 1/APMs had superior rates of urinary continence at 3 and 6 months postoperatively (47.5 vs 36.7%, P = 0.034, and 68.3 vs 59.2%, P = 0.047, respectively). ConclusionUsing APMs and clinicopathological data, the DeepSurv DL model was able to predict continence after RARP. In this feasibility study, surgeons with more efficient APMs achieved higher continence rates at 3 and 6 months after RARP.Keywords robotic surgical procedures, prostatectomy, artificial intelligence, urinary incontinence, quality of life

ObjectiveRemote ischemic conditioning (RIC) has been demonstrated to be safe and feasible for patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS), as well as for those receiving intravenous thrombolysis. We assessed the safety and feasibility of RIC for AIS patients undergoing endovascular treatment (ET).MethodsWe conducted a pilot study with patients with AIS who were suspected of having an emergent large‐vessel occlusion in the anterior circulation and who were scheduled for ET within 6 hours of ictus. Four cycles of RIC were performed before recanalization, immediately following recanalization, and once daily for the subsequent 7 days. The primary outcome was any serious RIC‐related adverse events.ResultsTwenty subjects, aged 66.1 ± 12.1 years, were recruited. No subject experienced serious RIC‐related adverse events. The intracranial pressure, cranial perfusion pressure, mean arterial pressure, heart rate, middle cerebral artery peak systolic flow velocity, and pulsatility index did not change significantly before, during, or after the limb ischemia (P > 0.1 for all). Of 80 cycles, 71 (89%) were completed before recanalization and 80 (100%) were completed immediately after recanalization; 444 of 560 cycles (78%) were completed within 7 days posttreatment. No patients had to stop RIC because it affected routine clinical managements. Six subjects (30%) experienced intracerebral hemorrhage, which was symptomatic in one case (5%). At the 3‐month follow‐up, 11 subjects (55%) had achieved functional independence, and two subjects (10%) died.Interpretation RIC appears to be safe and feasible for patients with AIS undergoing ET. Investigations are urgently needed to determine the efficacy of RIC in this patient population.

Background-We sought to compare published methods to an alternative approach ascertaining cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI) block during atrial flutter ablation. Methods and Results-In 39 consecutive patients who underwent an atrial flutter ablation procedure, a 24-pole mapping catheter was positioned so that 2 adjacent dipoles were bracketing the targeted CTI line of block (LOB), with proximal dipoles lateral to the LOB and distal dipoles in the coronary sinus. Two pacing sites were lateral (positions A and B) and 2 were septal (positions C and D) to the LOB, with locations A and D closest to the LOB. A resulting CTI block was accepted when 3 criteria were fulfilled: (1) complete reversal of the right atrial depolarization on the 24-pole catheter when pacing in the coronary sinus, (2) conduction delays from A to D greater than from B to D, and (3) conduction delays from D to A greater than from C to A. A successful CTI block was obtained in all patients. Before CTI block was obtained, a progressive CTI conduction delay was observed in 11 patients (28.2%). During the procedure, the 3 criteria defined above were either all present or all absent. Conclusions-This study establishes that reversal of the atrial depolarization sequence up to the LOB is a definitive and mandatory criteria of successful atrial flutter ablation. (Circulation. 1999;100:2507-2513.)

Data in the present study suggests that EVT for ABAO patients should be reasonable within 24 h of symptom onset. The most important factor determining clinical outcome is initial stroke severity.