The roles of Rho kinase (ROCK) and cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) in cGMP-mediated relaxation of fetal pulmonary veins exposed to chronic hypoxia (CH) were investigated. Fourth generation pulmonary veins were dissected from near-term fetuses ( approximately 140 days of gestation) delivered from ewes exposed to chronic high altitude hypoxia for approximately 110 days (CH) and from control e...

Purpose: Pulmonary vein isolation by means of catheter ablation is a new therapeutic modality for patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation. Due to the complex anatomy preprocedual imaging of left atrium and pulmonary veins is helpful for planning catheter intervention. With the advent of electrocardiogram-gated and respiratory-gated 3D steady state free precession (SSFP) sequences covering...

Stroke remains a devastating complication following cardiac surgery. Pulmonary vein thrombi (PVT) are believed to be rare, but I have reported 37 cases of PVT in elderly patients with chest pain since 2012, indicating that PVT are not unusual. The present case showed that PVT can make a network among four pulmonary veins and left atrium. Currently, PVT are not recognized as a risk factor for is...

Heterotopic cardiomyocytes (CMC) have been described in the wall of pulmonary veins including intraparenchymatous branches, in various species of laboratory animals. Brief note is given here of their morphology including electron microscopy and immunohistological findings. From the current literature hints concerning arrhythmogenic activity of heterotopic CMC in pulmonary vessels in the possibl...

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cardiac rhythm disturbance and its incidence is increasing. Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) is a highly successful therapy for treating AF, and its use is becoming more widespread; however, with its increasing use and evolving technique, known complications are better understood and new complications are emerging. Computed tomography (CT) of the pulm...

The perception of atrial fibrillation development has changed drastically over the last decade. The pulmonary veins have been targeted as the source of arrhythmogenic activity involved in the initiation of atrial fibrillation. This activity appears to be localized in the myocardial sleeves of the vessels. Extensive study of cells within this tissue has helped create a new model for atrial fibri...