Intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) has been used to guide radio-frequency catheter ablation (RFCA) for better catheter navigation and less radiation exposure in treating atrial fibrillation (AF). This retrospective cohort study enrolled 227 AF patients undergoing ICE- or traditional fluoroscopy (TF)-guided RFCA for AF in a tertiary hospital. ICE was used more often in patients with atrial tachycardia [odds ratio (OR) 3.692, p = 0.062], a higher score of Hypertension, Abnormal renal/liver function, Stroke, Bleeding history or predisposition, Labile INR, Elderly, Drugs/alcohol concomitantly (OR 1.541, p = 0.050), or heart failure (OR 2.098, p = 0.156). Based on the comparisons of 47 propensity score-matched pairs from 156 patients only undergoing pulmonary vein isolation (PVI), patients using ICE exhibited a significantly higher success rate in the first transseptal puncture (100% vs. 87.2%, p = 0.041) and less radiation exposure [utilization of radiographic contrast agent (2.7 ml vs. 6.0 ml, p < 0.001), fluoroscopy time (5.7 min vs. 7.6 min, p = 0.026), and fluoroscopy dose (208.4 mGy vs. 332.3 mGy, p = 0.024)] than patients using TF. Other perioperative efficacy outcomes (PVI success, free from AF after RFCA and complications) showed no difference between the matched pairs. ICE can enhance procedural safety and efficiency of RFCA, particularly for more complex patient profiles, in real-world setting.

We demonstrated a two‐step tunable liquid crystal (LC) surface relief diffractive lens for presbyopia. The surface relief diffractive structure is fabricated by nano‐imprint lithography (NIL) roll‐to‐stage process. The LC lens is polarization‐independent with only one cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) layer. The LC lens can be fabricated by LC one‐drop fill (ODF) process. This is useful for presbyopia vision correction. In this paper, we realized two‐step switched liquid crystal lens with optical power 0 and +2 diopters.

Background: To survey the unmet medical needs associated with atrium thrombus screening in Chinese patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who underwent transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) for planned radio -frequency catheter ablation (RFCA).Methods: This cross-sectional survey study interviewed 300 patients who underwent their first TEE for planned RFCA. The surveyed information included patients' anxiety, oropharynx pain and discomfort, time expense, and patient satisfaction related to TEE examination. Patient preference for a new atrium thrombus screening tech-nology, hospital length of stay (LOS) of RFCA, and hospital costs of RFCA in these surveyed patients were collected as well. Descriptive statistical methods were used to summarize the collected survey information. Results: Of the 300 interviewed patients, 36.3% reported anxiety before TEE examination, 58.6% reported oropharynx pain related to TEE, and 76.2% reported oropharynx discomforts, mainly including foreign body sensation (54.3%), dry heaves (33.8%), nausea (31.9%), and bleeding (22.9%). Even though 62.3% were satisfied with TEE, 84.3% preferred a new technology to replace TEE. Conducting outpatient TEE took more wait time (4.4 days vs. 0.1 days, p = 0.016) but led to significantly shorter hospital LOS (3.8 days vs. 6.4 days, p < 0.001) and significant lower hospital costs for RFCA ( yen 74,097 vs. yen 85,843, p < 0.001) than conducting inpatient TEE.Conclusions: Most AF patients experienced oropharynx pain and discomfort during or after TEE. Although more than half of AF patients were satisfied with TEE, most AF patients preferred a new technology to replace TEE for atrium thrombus screening. TEE was associated with economic impact on RFCA irrespective of TEE conducting settings.

To evaluate throat pain and discomfort caused by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), which is required to screen cardiac thrombus before radio-frequency ablation (RA) for atrial fibrillation (AF).