The Road to Successful CRT Implantation (PDF)

Cardiac resynchronization therapy is a new therapy for advanced
heart failure patients. This therapy has been shown to improve
quality of life, exercise capacity, NYHA classification, and even
reverse the detrimental "reverse remodeling" that occurs in
advanced heart failure - in patients already receiving optimal
pharmacological therapy.

The typical patient has NYHA III/IV HF symptoms, a QRS > 120
ms, LVEDD > 55 mm, without any indication required for pacing.
The therapy is available in an ICD device, too. CRT has been shown
to be effective in patients with both ischemic and non-ischemic
cardiomyopathy.

The implant procedure is part of a learning curve. Many
physicians who already perform electrophysiology procedures, or
PPM, or ICD implants are the ideal implanter - but are surprised at
the challenges this implant presents. This book will help "flatten"
the learning curve for new physician implanting, and will provide a
"guide' for those who have already started implanting.

The success rate is about 90% - so after 10 years of
application, we have found that there are still patients who do not
get access to this great therapy because of the complexity of the
patient's anatomy, or physician skills.

The book is written by three authors with a great deal of
experience culminating in over 3000 cases between them.

This book is intended for cardiologists who currently implant
either or both pacemakers and cardioverter defibrillators with
cardiac resynchronization therapy (also called bi-ventricular
pacing), or plan to implant in the future. This book will be
extremely useful for the new cardiologist in training who is
learning to implant devices.