Purpose of Review: To discuss the importance of the consenting process for patients undergoing spinal cord stimulation (SCS) therapy and understanding related complications and effects. Recent Findings: Litigation for SCS/DRG related complications can be very costly, with the mean average settlement in cases relating to SCS being $303,173 dollars in the USA. According to the US Anaesthesia Closed Claims Project database, 10,546 claims related to pain medicine were made between 1990 and 2013; 43 of which were associated with SCS complications. This article will further explore consenting and complications within the context of SCS. Summary: Consenting for SCS is a crucial and very important step which potentially reflect on patients’ expectations and outcomes.
Primary tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is an underrecognized valve disease characterized by structural abnormalities of the tricuspid valve (TV) apparatus, including leaflet prolapse, flail, rheumatic degeneration, carcinoid involvement and congenital malformations such as Ebstein’s anomaly. Historically neglected and often misclassified as functional, primary TR has recently gained attention due to advances in multimodality imaging and increased awareness of its pathophysiological complexity and adverse outcomes. A major challenge that remains is the accurate diagnosis of primary TR, as well as the optimal timing for intervention, particularly in asymptomatic patients. While surgical repair or replacement has been the traditional approach, recent developments in transcatheter therapies, such as tricuspid edge-to-edge repair, have broadened the therapeutic landscape for patients considered at high surgical risk. In this context, personalized medicine has emerged as a central paradigm in the management of this valvular disease. Tailored therapeutic decisions should include anatomical, functional, and clinical parameters, as well as patient-specific risk factors such as age and comorbidities. Advanced imaging modalities, including 3D echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance, are essential for guiding this individualized approach. This review summarizes the current understanding of the etiology, pathophysiology, diagnostic tools, and treatment strategies for primary TR, highlighting the critical role of personalized treatment pathways in optimizing clinical outcomes.
As the population has aged and as aortic valve therapies have evolved, the use of trans-catheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has grown dramatically over the past decade. A well-known complication of percutaneous cardiac intervention is embolic phenomena, and TAVR is among the highest risk procedures for clinical and subclinical stroke. As indications for TAVR expand to lower-risk and ultimately younger patients, the long-term consequences of stroke are amplified. Cerebral embolic protection (CEP) devices have taken a on unique preventative role following the Food and Drug Administration approval of the SentinelTM Cerebral Protection System (CPS). More recently, the PROTECTED TAVR study has spurred extensive debate in the neuro-cardiac community. In this review we describe the contemporary literature regarding stroke risk associated with TAVR, the history and role of CEP devices, a PROTECTED TAVR sub-group analysis, and implications for next steps in the field. Lastly, we explore the unique need for CEP in a younger TAVR population, as well as directions for future research.
Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is generally associated with excellent long-term outcomes when MR is absent or mild. Nonetheless, a small proportion of patients exhibit a distinct arrhythmogenic susceptibility, characterized by complex ventricular ectopy, sustained ventricular arrhythmias (VAs), and in rare instances, sudden cardiac death (SCD). This subgroup—collectively referred to as arrhythmic MVP (AMVP)—has prompted renewed attention in identifying individuals at elevated risk. Among the structural alterations associated with MVP, mitral annular disjunction (MAD) has gained recognition as a major contributor to arrhythmic vulnerability, arising from the pathological separation of the posterior annulus from the adjacent ventricular muscle. Advances in multimodality imaging, including trans-thoracic echocardiography (TTE), cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), and cardiac computed tomography (cCT), have significantly improved delineation of MAD and clarified its relationship to the broader MVP spectrum. Current evidence suggests that MVP, MAD, and AMVP should not be regarded as isolated conditions but as intersecting phenotypes within a shared pathological framework. In certain patients, especially those without established myocardial fibrosis, abnormal annular dynamics appear to constitute the primary arrhythmogenic driver and may diminish after surgical intervention. In others, persistent arrhythmias despite optimal repair reflect a fibrosis-based substrate. This review synthesizes contemporary insights into the anatomical, biomechanical, and electrophysiological interplay linking MVP, MAD, and ventricular arrhythmogenesis, emphasizing implications for imaging-based risk assessment and individualized surgical management strategies.