BACKGROUND In the first year after coronary stent implantation, clinical failures are driven mainly by procedural complications and restenosis, but the subsequent relative contributions of restenosis and disease progression to late failures are less clear. METHODS AND RESULTS We observed 1228 patients for 5 years after the implantation of stents as part of pivotal second-generation coronary s...

The expectation of a random variable is its average value, where each value is weighted according to the probability that it comes up. The expectation is also called the expected value or the mean of the random variable. For example, suppose we select a student uniformly at random from the class, and let R be the student’s quiz score. Then E [R] is just the class average —the first thing everyo...

AIMS After decades of experience and strongly improved technology, service time of pacemaker generators is expected to increase. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a retrospective review of a large cohort of patients with a pacemaker. METHODS We reviewed data collected between 1984 and 2006 in the first national Dutch pacemaker registry. This registry covered 96% of all generators implante...

Infections involving cardiovascular implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) remain an unfortunate indication for repeated device-related procedures, including extractions and reimplantations. Recurrent infections involving transvenous leads and superficial device pockets may eventually lead to epicardial lead implantation and generator placement in deeper tissue planes, both of which require a m...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES While the off-label use of implantable medical devices for treating congenital heart disease is not uncommon, the present conditions and outcomes of their off-label use have rarely been described. Therefore, this study evaluated the prevalence and results of using implantable devices off-label to treat congenital heart disease at a single institute. SUBJECTS AND METH...

AIMS Endocardial (ENDO) or epicardial (EPI) pacing systems are implanted in infants but it remains unclear which system should be preferred. METHODS AND RESULTS We evaluated the results of children <or=1 year who underwent pacemaker (PM) implantation at our centre with a retrospective analysis. Between 1992 and 2004, 56 patients, 37 of whom had other congenital heart defects (CHDs), received ...

INTRODUCTION Transvenous insertion of endocardial leads for permanent pacing is often accompanied by minor myocardial damage, detected thanks to the high sensitivity of cardiac troponins. It is unknown whether higher troponin levels, commensurate with more severe myocardial damage, can be encountered after implantation procedures. METHODS Over a 3-year period, 283 patients underwent an implan...

Over the past 20 years a variety of electronic markets have been set-up to improve the allocation of capacities in road transportation. Although existing inefficiencies and cost pressures provide a strong rationale for electronic market solutions, most attempts have failed so far. Based on an overview of the so-called electronic transportation exchanges we will analyze the factors that were inv...

BACKGROUND To assess clinical application of computed tomography (CT)-guided (125)I seed implantation for patients who cannot endure or unwillingly receive repeated surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy for unmanageable cervical lymph node metastases in head and neck cancer (HNC). METHODS Thirty-one consecutive patients received CT-guided (125)I seed implantation between February 2010 and De...