Simple Techniques for Antegrade Guiding Catheter Engagement after Retrograde CTO Crossing.

Interventional treatment of chronic total occlusions (CTOs) is nowadays counting on a wide span of procedural possibilities, and retrograde approaches are becoming more and more frequent as they warrant high success rates at the cost of a slightly higher incidence of donor vessel damage. Retrograde lesion crossing needs to be followed by procedural conversion to an antegrade approach to dilate and stent the lesion, and new techniques are being proposed to address this issue and achieve a safer recanalization of the vessel. In this context, we propose novel and simple techniques to antegrade guiding catheter engagement by the retrograde wire, enhancing the chances for procedural success.

Transcutaneous Puncture of an Undeflatable Coronary Angioplasty Balloon Catheter.

This case report describes a quick and safe method to successfully retrieve an undeflatable angioplasty balloon via the transradial access site. The article also presents potential mechanisms of contrast media entrapment and bench tests of guidewire-assisted balloon puncture. After successful stent implantation in the proximal right coronary artery in a 74-year-old female patient referred for acute coronary syndrome, the balloon catheter became undeflatable for an unknown reason. Several attempts to burst the balloon in the guide catheter and the aorta failed. After a pullback into the radial artery, the still inflated balloon became stuck again and was unable to be retrieved through the sheath. Finally, transcutaneous puncture and aspiration of contrast media with a 23 gauge syringe needle through the skin in the right forearm allowed deflation and successful removal the balloon.

Culotte stenting vs. TAP stenting for treatment of de-novo coronary bifurcation lesions with the need for side-branch stenting: the Bifurcations Bad Krozingen (BBK) II angiographic trial.

AIMS: In percutaneous coronary intervention for de-novo coronary bifurcation lesions, the optimal technique for provisional side-branch stenting is still a matter of debate. We tested whether in this setting culotte stenting reduces the incidence of restenosis as compared with T-and-protrusion (TAP) stenting. METHODS AND RESULTS: This trial included 300 patients with a coronary bifurcation lesion requiring a side-branch stent. Patients were randomly assigned to culotte stenting or TAP stenting using drug-eluting stents in a 1:1 fashion. Primary endpoint was maximal per cent diameter stenosis of the bifurcation lesion at 9-month angiographic follow-up. As clinical endpoints we assessed target lesion re-intervention (TLR) and target lesion failure (composite of cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction, and TLR).Angiographic follow-up was available in 91% of the patients. After culotte stenting, the maximum per cent diameter stenosis in the treated bifurcation lesion was 21 ± 20% as compared with 27 ± 25% after TAP stenting (P = 0.038). The respective corresponding binary restenosis rates were 6.5 and 17% (P = 0.006). The 1-year incidence of TLR was 6.0% after culotte stenting vs. 12.0% after T-stenting (P = 0.069). Target lesion failure occurred in 6.7% of the culotte group and in 12.0% of the TAP group (P = 0.11). Only one patient of the culotte group incurred a definite stent thrombosis during 1-year follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with the TAP stenting, culotte stenting was associated with a significantly lower incidence of angiographic restenosis.

Survival after percutaneous coronary intervention for chronic total occlusion.

BACKGROUND: There is limited data on prognosis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for coronary chronic total occlusions (CTO) in the era of drug-eluting stents (DES). AIMS: This study investigates the specific contribution of CTO recanalization to the survival benefit of complete revascularization. METHODS: Consecutive patients who underwent PCI of a CTO at our center between 01/2005 and 12/2013 were followed for a median of 2.6 years (interquartile range 1.1-3.1 years). All-cause mortality was compared between patients with successful and failed PCI of CTO without and with adjustment for pertinent co-variables by the Cox models. RESULTS: The study comprised 2002 patients with attempted PCI of CTO (mean age 65.2 ± 11 years, 17 % female), 82 % had multivessel disease. The CTO PCI was successful in 1662 (83 %) patients with a DES rate of 94 %. All-cause mortality was significantly lower in patients with successful PCI of CTO compared to failed PCI of CTO (15.3 vs. 25.9 % at 4 years; P < 0.001). In the multivariable model, both successful CTO PCI and complete revascularization were strong independent predictors of reduced long-term mortality (adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 0.72; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.53-0.97; P = 0.03 and adjusted HR 0.59; 95 % CI 0.42-0.82; P = 0.002). Also within the subset of incomplete revascularization, successful PCI of CTO was associated with reduced mortality (adjusted HR: 0.67; 95 % CI: 0.50-0.92; P = 0.012). CONCLUSION: Successful CTO recanalization is an independent predictor for improved long-term survival. Persistent CTO lesions are associated with significantly worse survival than persistent non-occlusive coronary lesions.

Randomized Comparison of Different Thienopyridine Loading Strategies in Patients Undergoing Elective Coronary Intervention: The ExcelsiorLOAD Trial.

OBJECTIVES: This randomized trial investigated to what extent loading with prasugrel can provide a more rapid peri-interventional antiplatelet effect than clopidogrel 600 mg. BACKGROUND: Effective platelet inhibition at the start of a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) reduces the risk of ischemic complications. With clopidogrel administered immediately before a PCI, effective platelet inhibition is delayed by 2 h. Prasugrel has the potential of shortening this period. METHODS: We randomly assigned 300 P2Y12 receptor blocker-naive patients undergoing an elective PCI to loading with clopidogrel 600 mg, prasugrel 30 mg, or prasugrel 60 mg immediately before the PCI. Platelet function was assessed serially by impedance aggregometry. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with high on-treatment platelet reactivity at 60 min after loading defined as ≥468 aggregation units × minute (Multiplate Analyzer, Roche Diagnostics, Mannheim, Germany). RESULTS: The 3 groups were well balanced with respect to clinical and angiographic characteristics. At 60 min, 33% of the patients assigned to prasugrel 60 mg, 37% of patients assigned to prasugrel 30 mg, but 55% of those assigned to clopidogrel had high on-treatment platelet reactivity (p < 0.001). At any time point starting from 30 min, prasugrel 60 mg achieved significantly lower platelet reactivity than clopidogrel. Platelet reactivity at 60 min after prasugrel was not significantly different from that at 120 min after clopidogrel (p = 0.18). Prasugrel 30 mg had an intermediate effect. The 30-day incidence of bleeding events was not different among the 3 groups. CONCLUSIONS: From 30 min onward, prasugrel 60 mg achieved a stronger platelet inhibition than clopidogrel loading in stable patients undergoing a PCI. Compared with clopidogrel, prasugrel 60 mg was associated with a twice as fast onset of platelet inhibition. (Impact of Extent of Clopidogrel-Induced Platelet Inhibition during Elective Stent Implantation on Clinical Event Rate-Advanced Loading Strategies [ExcelsiorLOAD]; DRKS00006102).

Clinical outcome after percutaneous treatment of de novo coronary bifurcation lesions using first or second generation of drug-eluting stents.

BACKGROUND: There is increasing evidence that various types of drug-eluting stents (DES) may differ regarding the long-term safety and efficacy, particularly in complex lesion subsets. AIMS: In a cohort of consecutive patients undergoing bifurcation stenting, we sought to compare the 1-year efficacy and safety of the first-generation paclitaxel-eluting stents (PES), the first-generation sirolimus-eluting (SES) and the second-generation everolimus- or zotarolimus-eluting stents (EES/ZES). METHODS: We treated 2197 patients (mean age 67.5 years, 75.4 % male) with provisional T-stenting for de novo coronary bifurcation lesions using PES, SES or EES/ZES. Primary endpoint (MACE) was the composite of death from any cause, myocardial infarction (MI) and target lesion revascularisation (TLR). RESULTS: Side branch stenting was found to be clinically indicated in 793 patients (36.1 %). The cumulative 1-year incidence of MACE was 18.8 % after PES, 13.1 % after PCI with SES and 12.2 % after EES/ZES (p = 0.003), the combined endpoint death and MI occurred in 6.6, 5.6 and 8.3 % (p = 0.253) and death in 4.3, 5.2 and 5.3 % (p = 0.581), respectively. After adjustment for co-variables the type of DES was a significant (p = 0.008) predictor of MACE [HR (95 % confidence interval) PES vs SES 1.34 (1.04-1.71), PES vs. EES/ZES 1.75 (1.19-2.57), EES/ZES vs. SES 0.762 (0.531-1.095)], but not of death (p = 0.581), death and MI (p = 0.077) or stent thrombosis (ST) (p = 0.925). CONCLUSIONS: In de novo coronary bifurcation lesions treated with provisional T-stenting, SES and EES/ZES achieved better outcomes than PES by reducing the need for reintervention.

Long-term safety of drug-eluting stents.

Stent implantation in coronary stenosis has revolutionized the treatment of coronary artery disease. The introduction of antirestenotic drug coatings further improved their efficacy in reducing target vessel revascularizations. With increasing use of drug-eluting stents (DES), stent thrombosis (ST) rose as potentially fatal major complication. Initially, the incidence of ST late after stent implantation seemed to be similar for DES and bare metal stents until several studies proved otherwise in first-generation DES. Since then, the design and components of DES have been changed and new polymers, drugs and different combinations of platelet inhibitors have been introduced to further improve the safety of DES. In this review, the authors focus on the relationship between DES, lesion anatomy, implantation technique and pharmacology to avoid the occurrence of ST. Furthermore, the relationship between dual antiplatelet therapy, bleeding rate and its significant impact on patient outcome is discussed. Finally, some promising future concepts are highlighted.

Isolated hypoplastic circumflex coronary artery: a rare cause of haemorrhagic myocardial infarction in a young athlete.

Hypoplastic coronary artery disease is a rare condition that may lead to myocardial infarction and sudden death. Here we describe for the first time an isolated hypoplasia of the left circumflex artery (LCX). An otherwise healthy and athletically active 16-year-old boy was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. He died 12 hours after the initial event. Autopsy revealed an isolated hypoplastic LCX and acute haemorrhagic infarction in the posterolateral myocardium. The existence of isolated hypoplasia of the LCX challenges our understanding of coronary artery development. Virtual slides: The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/1558483061962648.

Assessment of left atrial functional parameters using a novel dedicated analysis tool for real-time three-dimensional echocardiography: validation in comparison to magnetic resonance imaging.

Real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) is superior to two-dimensional echocardiography in assessing left atrial (LA) parameters, but to date algorithms developed for the left ventricle were applied due to a lack of dedicated LA software. In addition, no data are available on RT3DE assessment of active atrial contraction. The aim of this study was to validate a novel RT3DE analysis tool specifically dedicated to evaluate the LA. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) served as standard of reference. Fifty-five patients scheduled for pulmonary vein isolation underwent cardiac MRI and RT3DE. On ultrasound image datasets, a dynamic polyhedron model of the LA was generated from which LA maximum and minimum volumes (LAmax and LAmin), passive atrial emptying fraction (LAEF), and active atrial ejection fraction (LAEFtrue) were derived and compared to values obtained from cardiac MRI. High intraclass correlations between RT3DE and MRI were found for LAmax (r = 0.94, p < 0.001), LAmin (r = 0.95, p < 0.001), LAEF (r = 0.92, p < 0.001), and LAEFtrue (r = 0.87, p < 0.001). Similarly, Bland-Altman analysis revealed narrow limits of agreement for LAmax (-28.6 to 14.1 ml), LAmin (-26.8 to 12.4 ml), LAEF (-11.2 to 14.9 %), and LAEFtrue (-10.6 to 6.8 %). LAmax, LAmin and LAEFtrue were measured significantly (p < 0.05) lower by RT3DE (111 ± 38 ml vs. 118 ± 39 ml, 73 ± 38 ml vs. 80 ± 41 ml, and 23 ± 14 % vs. 27 ± 14 %, respectively). Interobserver and intraobserver RT3DE measurements correlated closely. RT3DE using a novel dedicated software tool is valid, accurate and reproducible for assessing LA dimensional and functional parameters. This study corroborates previous reports and extends its validity to the assessment of active LA contraction.

Acute subepicardial infarction associated with severe septic shock--insight in myocardial perfusion.

Isolated infarctions of the subepicardial myocardium without changes in subendocardium are extremely rare. We present an autoptic case with an acute subepicardial infarction of the right- and left-ventricular myocardium. A 53-year-old male was admitted to hospital with acute upper abdominal pain. Clinical examination revealed an acute infero-lateral myocardial infarction. The patient succumbed to acute heart failure a few hours later. Autopsy revealed numerous pulmonary abscesses due to suppurative lobular pneumonia with consecutive pericardial effusion. Furthermore, we diagnosed an acute myocardial infarct encompassing the entire right and left ventricles but limited to the subepicardial myocardium only. Microscopically, we observed fibrin microemboli in the subepicardial microvessels. The existence of an isolated subepicardial myocardial infarct challenges our understanding of myocardial perfusion.

Human archival tissues provide a valuable source for the analysis of spatial genome organization.

Sections from archival formalin-fixed, paraffin wax-embedded human tissues are a valuable source for the study of the nuclear architecture of specific tissue types in terms of the three-dimensional spatial positioning and architecture of chromosome territories and sub-chromosomal domains. Chromosome painting, centromeric, and locus-specific probes were hybridized to tissue microarrays prepared from formalin-fixed paraffin wax-embedded samples of pancreas and breast. The cell nuclei were analyzed using quantitative three-dimensional image microscopy. The results obtained from non-neoplastic pancreatic cells of randomly selected individuals indicated that the radial arrangement of the chromosome 8 territories as well as their shape (roundness) did not significantly differ between the individuals and were in accordance with assumptions of a probabilistic model for computer simulations. There were considerable differences between pancreatic tumor and non-neoplastic cells. In non-neoplastic ductal epithelium of the breast there was a larger, but insignificant, variability in the three-dimensional positioning of the centromere 17 and HER2 domains between individuals. In neoplastic epithelial breast cells, however, the distances between centromere and gene domains were, on average, smaller than in non-neoplastic cells. In conclusion, our results demonstrate the feasibility of studying the genome architecture in archival, formalin-fixed, paraffin wax-embedded human tissues, opening new directions in tumor research and cell classification.