Very late mesenteric bare metal stent thrombosis in the setting of cessation of antiplatelet agents.

We report a case of a 73 year-old man admitted for acute mesenteric ischaemia. Eight years before, he had a first mesenteric ischaemic event treated by left colectomy and angioplasty of both main coeliac artery (MCA) and superior mesenteric artery (SMA); the patient was discharged on lifelong clopidogrel and aspirin. One month before his admission for the index event, he had a major haematuria; clopidogrel was stopped first, then aspirin because of recurrent haematuria. Five days after withdrawal of both antiplatelet drugs, the patient presented with acute mesenteric ischaemia. Urgent aortography showed in-stent occlusion of SMA and in-stent restenosis of MCA; we performed ad hoc thrombus aspiration of SMA and balloon angioplasty of MCA. The patient was discharged seven days after, without complications. This case shows that very late stent thrombosis in digestive artery can occur in the setting of antiplatelet arrest and urgent endovascular intervention constitutes a seductive alternative for surgery when performed early after symptoms onset.

Successful conservative surgery of acute ascending aortic dissection occurring during coronary angiography.

We reported the case of an acute aortic dissection complicating right guiding catheter manipulation during engagement in the right coronary ostium. Despite absence of hemodynamic deterioration, dissection progressed rapidly from the sinus of Valsalva to the ascending aorta along its entire length. At surgery, performed in emergency, the aorta was not dilated and the aortic wall did not appear pathologic. Therefore conservative surgery was performed, consisting of suture of the aortic tear and incollage of the false lumen, with good immediate and mid-term results.

Left ventricular lead insertion using a modified transseptal catheterization technique: A totally endocardial approach for permanent biventricular pacing in end-stage heart failure.

This article describes a new technique of LV lead insertion, using transseptal catheterization performed through the right internal jugular vein, to obtain a totally endocardial biventricular chronic pacing in end-stage heart failure. Three patients with QRS widening (> 180 ms) linked to complete left bundle branch block (n = 2) or right ventricular pacing (n = 1) were included in this preliminary study. Catheterization was performed under fluoroscopy and transesophageal echocardiography guidance. Transseptal catheterization was achieved by puncture of the right internal jugular vein at the base of the neck and by using a Brockenbrough needle, the tip curve of which was more curved than the standard model. A flexible long sheath was advanced in the left atrium through the interatrial septum and then a unipolar electrode was placed easily in the LV. The proximal tip of the LV lead was tunneled from the neck to the subclavian area and connected to the ventricular channel of a dual (n = 1) or simple (n = 2) chamber pacemaker. Efficient acute sensing (V wave amplitude = 13 +/- 3 m V) and pacing (acute pacing threshold = 0. 7 +/- 0.4 V) were obtained in the three patients. Early loss of capture occurred in two patients requiring lead replacement. Functional status dramatically improved in all three patients. At 6-month follow-up, biventricular pacing was maintained in all patients (mean threshold 1.4 V) who were free of clinical embolic event with oral anticoagulation therapy. This modified technique of jugular transseptal catheterization appears promising for the development of left heart pacing.

Combined assessment of reflow and collateral blood flow by myocardial contrast echocardiography after acute reperfused myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the combined assessment of reflow and collateral blood flow by myocardial contrast echocardiography after myocardial infarction. DESIGN: Myocardial contrast echocardiography was performed in patients with acute myocardial infarction shortly after successful coronary reperfusion (TIMI 3 patency) by direct angioplasty. Collateral flow was assessed before coronary angioplasty, and contrast reflow was evaluated 15 minutes after reperfusion. The presence of contractile reserve was assessed by low dose dobutamine echocardiography (5 to 15 micrograms/kg/min) at (mean (SD)) 3 (2) days after myocardial infarction. Recovery of segmental function (myocardial viability) was evaluated by resting echocardiography at a two month follow up. The study was prospective. PATIENTS: 35 consecutive patients referred for acute transmural myocardial infarction. RESULTS: Contrast reflow was observed in 20 patients (57%) and collateral flow in 14 (40%). Contrast reflow and collateral contrast flow were both correlated with reversible dysfunction on initial dobutamine echocardiography and at follow up (p < 0.05). The presence of reflow or collateral flow on myocardial contrast echocardiography was a highly sensitive (100%) but weakly specific (60%) indicator of segmental dysfunction recovery. Simultaneous presence of contrast reflow and collateral flow was more specific of reversible dysfunction than reflow alone (90% v 60%). CONCLUSIONS: Combined assessment of reflow and collateral blood flow enhanced the sensitivity of myocardial contrast echocardiography in predicting myocardial viability after acute, reperfused myocardial infarction. The simultaneous presence of reflow and collateral blood flow was highly specific of recovery of segmental dysfunction.

[Present concepts of accessory pathways]. / Conception actuelle des faisceaux accessoires.

The possibility of ablation of arrhythmias has revived interest in accessory atrioventricular pathways. The authors propose a classification based on their electrophysiological properties, the nature of the arrhythmias which they induce, their anatomy and localisation. Classical accessory pathways have a rapid "all or nothing" type of conduction and are responsible for the WPW syndrome. They are called bundles of Kent although Kent's description does not correspond exactly to our present concept of their structures. However, some classical accessory pathways do have unidirectional conduction properties. When only retrograde reciprocating orthodromic tachycardia may occur but not preexcitation is observed in sinus rhythm: they have to be differentiated from reciprocating nodal tachycardias. Atypical accessory pathways show decremential conduction and are composed of specific tissues. When the conclusion is mainly or exclusively anterograde, tachycardias may be observed which were generally attributed to nodoventricular Mahaim fibres. When the conduction is essentially retrograde, they usually give rise to chronic junctional tachycardias.