[Effects of delay in onset of revascularisation strategies in the acute phase of myocardial infarction]. / Place du délai de prise en charge dans la stratégie de revascularisation à la phase aiguë de l'infarctus du myocarde. Données issues de la vie réelle.

BACKGROUND: thrombolysis (THL) and primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are therapeutic options in acute myocardial infarction (MI). These strategies have similar efficiency, particularly in the early phase. However, in these randomized studies, different times to treatment (TT) threshold are recognized as discriminant. OBJECTIVES: to validate, on a one year mortality criteria the best TT threshold in the real life. METHODS: 794 patients, admitted directly in our institution with a Ml< or =12 hours; 299 were treated by THL and 495 by PCI. The primary end-point was 1-year mortality according to TT and strategy of revascularization. Three TT thresholds were tested (120, 150 and 180 min) to define the best strategy of revascularisation. RESULTS: only the 150 min TT threshold showed a significant difference between the two strategies. If TT was less than 150 min, relative risk of 1-year mortality was 1.36 (p=0.62) for patients treated by THL compared to those treated with PCI. By contrast, the relative risk of one year mortality was 1.95 if Tr was greater than 150 min (p=0.02). CONCLUSION: TT is a key factor to define the best strategy of reperfusion. The critical threshold seems to be at 150 min. THL should be considered as a therapeutic choice only if administered within the first 150 min. After this delay, primary PCI should be preferred.

[Angioplasty at the bifurcation of the anterior interventricular artery and diagonal artery]. / Angioplastie de la bifurcation de l'artère interventriculaire antérieure et de l'artère diagonale.

UNLABELLED: The IVA/diagonal coronary bifurcation is a high risk area for atheromatous disease. Major technical and strategic risks make the treatment of these lesions a real "challenge" for the interventional cardiologist: angioplasty-stenting and surgery are in direct competition. OBJECTIVES: the aim of this study was to determine the significance of interventional techniques in treating the IVA/diagonal bifurcation, drawing on the experiences of a cardiological haemodynamic laboratory and comparing these results with those obtained with the reference technique, represented by aorto-coronary bypass with the internal mammary artery. METHODS: this was a monocentric retrospective study of a series of 133 patients treated with angioplasty-stenting between January 1997 and December 2002 for a new IVA/Dg bifurcation lesion. Patients admitted for myocardial infarction were excluded. RESULTS: no matter which angioplasty revascularisation technique was used, the angiographic success rate was 95% with 3% occlusions of the diagonal artery. At six months, 72% of patients were asymptomatic, the rate of treated lesion revascularisation (TLR) was 21.9%. At one year 68.8% of patients were asymptomatic, and the TLR was 24.2%. The technique evolved during the six years, especially with the expansion of the radial approach and increasingly frequent use of the "kissing balloon"; at one year the TLR and the rate of major cardiac events was 31% in 1997 and 15% in 2002. CONCLUSIONS: angioplasty-stenting in this at-risk region is thus favourable, and gives results comparable with those of internal mammary/IVA bypass, save on the TLR. However, the development of stents "pre-formed" for the bifurcation and especially "active" endoprostheses could represent a solution to the delicate problem of restenosis.

Thrombosis and thrombolysis in unstable angina.

Pathophysiology of unstable angina involves spasm, plaque rupture, activation of platelets, and coagulation. The incidence and frequency of intracoronary thrombus formation are presently under active assessment in order to establish the potential benefit of thrombolytic therapy. A preliminary study was conducted in patients admitted in our coronary care unit for unstable angina with typical clinical and electrocardiographic criteria and with early coronary angiogram. After exclusion of 4 patients with left main coronary stenosis or contraindications for thrombolysis, 16 patients received thrombolytic infusion and 14 underwent a second coronary angiogram. Seven patients had an intracoronary thrombus (6 nonocclusive, 1 occlusive) and at the second angiogram only 3 nonocclusive thrombi were modified (1 disappeared, 2 were reduced). Moreover, the quantitative Coronary Angiography Analysis System (CAAS) in the 11 cases suitable for analysis did not show any significant changes, especially in the Ambrose type IIB lesions. In-hospital clinical outcome was not influenced by thrombolytic therapy (5 ischemic recurrences, 1 fatal myocardial infarction, 4 emergency and 4 elective revascularization procedures). This short series is in agreement with the literature data. Only one third of patients with active unstable angina remains refractory to conventional therapy. The transient benefit of thrombolysis is limited to patients with demonstrated intracoronary thrombi. Clinical or angiographic improvement are not always in correlation and until now do not seem able to prevent short-term recurrences or the need for revascularization procedures.

[Balloon angioplasty]. / Angioplastie au ballonnet.

Balloon angioplasty of the coronary arteries is about 20 years old and has become the main technique of myocardial revascularisation. It is performed under local anaesthetic by arterial puncture and some centres are already performing the procedures on an ambulatory basis. Optimally, the procedure should be performed in a well-equipped catheter laboratory with trained operators and experienced personnel. The most impressive results are obtained in single vessel disease. However, double and triple vessel disease may also be treated, especially in elderly, frail patients, in cases of high surgical risk or with a previous history of coronary bypass surgery. Balloon angioplasty has an important role in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction, either as an alternative or as a complement to thrombolytic therapy. The major limitations of this technique, in the absence of stenting, are the failure to pass chronic lesions, the occurrence of major complications in about 1% of cases, of acute occlusion in about 5% of cases, and, finally, of restenosis estimated between 30 and 50%, depending on the publication. In the general population, the success rate is over 95% with an immediate return to normal life and the possibility of repeating an angioplasty in cases of restenosis. Coronary stents are a major technical adjuvant to balloon angioplasty and the indications of their implantation have exceeded 50% of procedures in recent years.

[Arteriovenous fistula disclosing a renal cancer. Apropos of a case]. / Fistule artério-veineuse révélatrice d'un cancer du rein. A propos d'un cas.

The authors report the case of a 49 year old woman who presented with congestive cardiac failure and hypertension. Clinical examination revealed a high output state and an abdominal mass with a continuous murmur which angiography showed to be a very vascular right renal tumour with a large and early venous return. Catheter studies confirmed the increased cardiac output (cardiac index 5.37 l/mn/m2), an increase in right heart and mean pulmonary capillary pressures (28 mmHg), decreased peripheral arterial resistances and a left-to-right shunt effect at the level of the suprarenal inferior vena cava (+ 3.8 volumes of oxygen per 100 ml). After radical right nephrectomy, the cardiac failure and hypertension regressed and the haemodynamic parameters returned to normal.

[Partial interruption of the inferior vena cava using a percutaneous endovenous filter]. / Interruption partielle de la veine cave inférieure par filtre endoveineux percutané.

Partial interruption of the inferior vena cava (IVCI) by a percutaneous endovenous filter (Günther filter n = 65, LEM filter n = 36) was undertaken in 100 patients with an average of 72 +/- 11 years for recent deep vein thrombosis. The indications were: contraindications to anticoagulant therapy (36.5%); recurrent pulmonary embolism (12%); threatening venous thrombosis with a previous embolic episode (12%); caval thrombosis (15.7%); prophylactic, with no previous pulmonary embolism (23.8%). The filters were evaluated at short and mid term. There were no technical problems. The mortality rate was 17.5%, one death being probably due to recurrent pulmonary embolism. No other recurrences of pulmonary embolism were observed, indicating an efficacy of 99 per cent. The early patency rate was 96.5%, there being no difference between the two filters used, independent of the initial site of venous thrombosis, of distal migration of the filter and associated medical treatment (anticoagulation). Distal migration was observed in 76% of IVCI by the Günther filter and 48.5% by the LEM filter (p less than 0.001); tilting was observed in 7.4% of Günther and 3% of LEM filters. Five LEM filters were incompletely opened. The IVC was transfixed by 3 Günther filters. One Günther filter had fractured spokes. There were 12 recurrences of lower limb deep vein thrombosis and 16 post-deep vein thrombosis complications were recorded. These percutaneous endovenous filters are similar to the Kimray Greenfield filter with respect to efficacy and permeability although the follow-up was relatively short. The advantages of these percutaneous filters are the facility, innocuity and rapidity of their insertion with, however, a higher incidence of distal migration.

[Paroxysmal mitral insufficiency caused by ischemic dysfunction of the papillary muscles. Hemodynamic and angiographic study of 18 cases. Pathogenic hypotheses]. / Insuffisance mitrale paroxystique par dysfonctionnement ischémique de piliers. Etude hémodynamique et angiographique de 18 cas. Hypothèses pathogéniques.

18 of 39 cases of ischaemic papillary muscle dysfunction reported elsewhere underwent cardiac catheterisation and angiography. Fifteen patients had previous myocardial infarction. The average age of the patients was less than in the overall series (69 vs 73 years) but the incidence of infarction and the degree of cardiac disease were greater. The absence of catheter data in the other patients is explained by their older age (76.4 years) and the longer period of recruitment. Their results and outcome of medical or surgical treatment are reported. The pathogenesis of the syndrome is reconsidered in the perspective of paroxysmal forms. A protocol for investigation is suggested to guide the therapeutic options. Right heart catheterisation at rest (n = 16), on exercise (n = 12), under vasodilator therapy (n = 6) and during angiography (n = 2) does not show a specific profile. These investigations only provide haemodynamic data related to therapy but they are essential for the interpretation of ventriculography. Ventriculography (n = 8) demonstrated 4 cases of mitral regurgitation (2 major and 2 minor), a reduced EF (0.47 +/- 0.17), asynergy of 36.1 p. 100 of segments analysed, predominantly in the inferior and lateral zones. Coronary angiography showed triple vessel disease in 6 cases, double vessel disease in 1 case and 1 stenosis of the left main coronary artery. Stenosis was commonest on the left circumflex (87.5 p. 100) and right coronary arteries (87.5 p. 100) but also frequently involved the left anterior descending artery (75 p. 100). Of the 12 patients treated medically, 8 died (66.6 p. 100) and the survivors remain symptomatic (33.3 p. 100), half with and half without attacks. After surgery (n = 8) comprising coronary bypass surgery (n = 6) or mitral valve replacement (n = 2), patients were asymptomatic. 1 patient died of cancer. These paroxysmal forms of mitral regurgitation may be explained by the association of aggravating, reversible ischaemic or haemodynamic factors to organic mitral lesions. Mitral valve replacement is justified when dysfunction becomes permanent and coronary bypass surgery is advocated whenever possible. The indications for surgery can only be taken into account after complete haemodynamic and angiographic investigation. A protocol for the interpretation of these investigations is suggested.

[Complex ventricular arrhythmia in apparently healthy young subjects]. / Troubles du rythme ventriculaire complexes du sujet jeune apparemment sain.

The aim of this study of 20 young subjects (28 +/- 10.6 years) with no apparent cardiac disease on clinical examination and chest X-ray was to determine the origin of complex ventricular arrhythmias: monomorphic or polymorphic ventricular extrasystoles, isolated or in valves (average 18 158 +/- 12 388 per 24 hours) and/or ventricular tachycardia (5 cases, sustained in 3). These arrhythmias were aggravated (N = 6), disappeared (N = 8) or remained unchanged (N = 5) during exercise. The inter-critical ECG showed ST changes in 5 cases. The extrasystoles had a left bundle branch block configuration in 14 cases and a right bundle branch block configuration in 9 cases. Nine patients were Grade 2 (45%) and 11 patients Grade 4B of Lown's classification. Complementary investigations (echocardiography), radionuclide investigations, right and left heart catheterisation, selective right and left ventriculography and coronary angiography) showed a high incidence of arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (N - 14) associated with left ventricular abnormalities in 13 cases: hypofixation of Thallium (N = 14) associated with left ventricular abnormalities in 13 cases: hypofixation of Thallium (N = 11), abnormal global left ventricular function (N = 13) with decreased ejection fractions in half the cases, left ventricular dilatation in a third of cases (average and diastolic volume: 109.8 ml/m2), mean velocity of circumferential fibre shortening decreased in 86% of cases (average 0.88 cir/sec), angiographic abnormalities of segmental left ventricular wall motion in 36% of cases; 2 clinically silent cases of mitral valve prolapse were associated with these left ventricular changes; these cases represent forms of arrhythmogenic cardiac disease localised to the right ventricle or involving both ventricles which should be searched for routinely in young patients with apparently normal hearts but with idiopathic and severe ventricular arrhythmias. The diagnosis can only be established by angiography. In other cases, isolated left ventricular abnormalities are detected: two cases of hypertrophic non obstructive cardiomyopathy including one apical form, a condition which may be suspected from analysis of the surface ECG and careful 2D echocardiographic study; phonomechanography may be normal; one idiopathic left ventricular aneurysm which was only diagnosed at ventriculography; one dilated cardiomyopathy affecting the left ventricle. In our series, none of the patients had coronary artery disease and two patients even had no abnormality of any of these investigations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

[Traumatic myocardial infarction. Apropos of 2 cases]. / Les infarctus myocardiques traumatiques. A propos de 2 observations.

Two cases of anterior transmural myocardial infarction occurring after closed chest injuries in young adults (26 and 29 years) are reported. In one case, the infarct was detected after 42 days when the patient gradually developed left ventricular failure after thoracic injury (fracture of the left 9th rib). In the other case, the diagnosis was made during the initial evaluation of a patient with multiple injuries by routine electrocardiography. Radio-isotopic investigations showed an antero-septo-apical and lateral defect with akinetic wall motion in the first case, and apical hypofixation with limited akinesis in the second one. Coronary angiography with left ventriculography was performed after 2 and 3 months respectively, and showed a prolonged non-atheromatous stenosis of the proximal left anterior descending artery with anterior wall hypokinesia, apical akinesia and mitral incompetence (Case n 1) and slight changes of the distal part of the left anterior descending artery with apical hypokinesia (Case n 2). These two cases bring the number of documented reported cases to 37 and illustrate the two possible mechanisms of myocardial infarction after closed chest trauma: direct trauma to the coronary arteries with vascular lesions and secondary myocardial infarction associated with a poor prognosis, and myocardial contusion resulting in random myocardial lesions which usually carry a better prognosis.

[Angiography of right ventricular volume after surgical repair of tetralogy of Fallot]. / Etude angiographique des volumes du ventricule droit après correction chirurgicale de la tétralogie de Fallot.

Right ventricular volume and ejection fraction were measured in children who had undergone surgical repair for tetralogy of Fallot with excellent results. Fourteen children who had been operated upon at the age of 3 +/- 2.6 years had cardiac catheterization and cineangiography of the right ventricle at the age of 4.6 +/- 2.7 years. Right ventricular volumes were determined from single-plane cineangiography in right anterior oblique projection (Ferlinz method). Eleven children with a normal right ventricle served as controls. Dual projection cineangiography of the pulmonary artery enabled the pulmonary insufficiency to be divided into 4 grades. Echocardiography with colour-coded doppler velocimetry was also performed, showing the absence of residual shunt and of tricuspid, mitral and aortic valve abnormalities. The extension of pulmonary regurgitation flow to the right ventricle was analysed and divided into 4 grades. Pulmonary insufficiency was present in all patients; it was graded 1 or 2 by the two methods in 8 cases (group A) and 3 or 4 by one or the other of the two methods in 6 cases (group B). In 7 patients of group A the operation had included the insertion of a small patch to widen the pulmonary channels (infundibulum alone in 3 cases, transvalvular in 4 cases); in 5 patients of group B a large infundibulo-pulmonary transvalvular patch had been installed. The right ventricular systolic pressure was always below 50 mmHg (mean: 40.9 +/- 6.7 mmHg) and the systolic gradient between right ventricle and pulmonary artery never exceeded 30 mmHg (mean: 14.9 +/- 6.2 mmHg).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension complicating CREST syndrome. Apropos of a case]. / Hypertension artérielle pulmonaire précapillaire compliquant un syndrome CREST. A propos d'un cas.

Pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension was the presenting sign of a CREST syndrome in a 65 year old woman. The diagnosis of this form of scleroderma is based on the association of a number of features (calcinosis, Raynaud's phenomenon, oesophageal dyskinesia, sclerodactylia and telangectasia). Scleroderma is the systemic disease which is usually complicated by pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension. This complication is observed in about 13% of CREST syndromes, but very rarely as severe pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension. The diagnosis of pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension carries a poor prognosis with a 2 year survival rate of about 40%. Treatment is usually with calcium inhibitors but with no effect on prognosis. The use of prostacycline and its analogue, iloprost, is an interesting therapeutic strategy, currently under evaluation. Cardiopulmonary transplantation is the only treatment of very severe forms, despite the progressive character of the condition. All cases of pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension require complete aetiological investigation to exclude a systemic disease, especially a scleroderma and, above all, a CREST syndrome.

[Infarction in young women caused by intracoronary thrombosis on angiographically normal arteries: apropos of a case]. / Infarctus de la femme jeune par thrombose intracoronaire sur artère angiographiquement normale; à propos d'un cas.

Myocardial infarction is a rare clinical event in young women. The usual presentation is similar to that of older adults. The authors report a case of anteroseptal infarction in a 24 year old woman presenting with paroxysmal epigastric pain without irradiation with fever, during menstruation. The electrocardiogram was compatible with acute pericarditis. The diagnosis was rectified by echocardiography which showed anteroseptal akinesia. Coronary angiography performed as an emergency showed a radiolucent mobile image in the mid segment of the left anterior descending artery with appearances of a distal embolism which were attributed to thrombosis. Intracoronary thrombolysis was associated with a good outcome.

[Implantation of coronary stent during the acute phase of myocardial infarction for treatment of dissection or partial result after angioplasty. Immediate results and angiographic follow-up]. / Implantation d'une endoprothèse coronaire en phase aiguë d'infarctus du myocarde pour traitement d'une dissection ou d'un résultat incomplet après angioplastie. Résultats immédiats et suivi angiographique.

Between December 1991 and November 1994, a Palmaz-Schatz stent was implanted in 9 patients aged 57 +/- 14 years during the acute phase of myocardial infarction after primary angioplasty in 7 cases and salvage angioplasty in 2 cases after an interval of 175 mm +/- 62 mn from the onset of infarction, because of threatening dissection (N = 8) or a partial result (N = 1). The success rate of implantation was 100% with residual stenosis (DCI Philips system) measured at 16 +/- 8% (5 to 28%). Anticoagulant treatment comprised heparin, coumadin and aspirin in two cases, and, in the following 7 cases, low molecular weight heparin, ticlopidine and aspirin. There was one death due to cardiogenic shock on the third day despite intraaortic balloon pumping. One patient was operated for a femoral aneurysm. A prophylactic bypass procedure was performed as a semi-emergency in a stable patient. At systematic angiographic control, the residual stenosis was measured at 19 +/- 14% (10 to 43%) without reocclusion. There was no recurrence of ischaemia. The authors conclude that the encouraging results of this short series suggest that despite the highly thrombogenic situation of acute myocardial infarction and despite the context of emergency implantation of a stent. Palmaz-Schatz stent implantation gives good immediate and long-term results with respect to reocclusion and stenosis.

[Hospital results of salvage angioplasty with coronary stenting after failure of thrombolysis in the acute phase of myocardial infarction]. / Résultats hospitaliers de l'angioplastie de sauvetage avec implantation d'endoprothèses coronaires après échec de thrombolyse à la phase aiguë de l'infarctus du myocarde.

Between December 1991 and February 19999, 25 patients (56 +/- 10 years) underwent salvage angioplasty with coronary stenting after failure of thrombolysis (TIMI 2), rtPA (N = 18), n-PA (N = 4), K2-tu-PA (N = 2) and streptokinase (N = 1). All were treated by aspirin and 96% were given ticlopidine for one month. The culprit artery was the left anterior descending (48%), the left circumflex (8%) or the right coronary (44%). The average ejection fraction was 41%; 4 patients (16%) had cardiogenic shock. The stents were implanted for occlusive coronary dissection (36%), threatening dissection (40%), partial result of angioplasty (20%) or of first intention (4%). In all, 31 stents were implanted (1.2 +/- 0.57 stent/target lesion ratio with an average length of 20.9 +/- 10.2 mm). The stents were tabular in 51% of cases. The angiographic success rate (TIMI 3 and residual stenosis < 50%) was 96% with maximum inflation pressures of 13.7 +/- 2.5 atm and balloons with an average diameter of 3.3 +/- 0.5 mm. Intra-aortic balloon pumping was required in 7 patients (28%). The 30 day results included a mortality rate of 16% (4 patients), a recurrence of infarction in 4%; there were no repeat angioplasties, coronary bypass surgery or blood transfusions. The predictive factors of recurrent coronary events were: age over 60 (p = 0.04), multivessel coronary disease (p = 0.007), cardiogenic shock (p = 0.004) and left ventricular dysfunction (p = 0.015). The authors conclude that cases of failure of thrombolysis are at high risk and that salvage angioplasty with coronary stenting is associated with excellent angiographic results. Patients with cardiogenic shock, however, have a high mortality, irrespective of coronary patency and the use of intra-aortic balloon pumping.

[An often ignored complication of left heart catheterization: embolism of cholesterol crystals. Report of 9 cases]. / Une complication souvent méconnue du cathétérisme gauche: les embolies de cristaux de cholestérol. A propos de 9 observations.

Cholesterol embolism (CE) is caused by the migration of cholesterol crystals from severe atheromatous lesions. Until recently, this was considered to be a classical but rare complication of atheroma. With the upsurge in techniques of left heart catheterization there has been a regain of interest in this subject. Nine cases of cholesterol embolism occurring after left heart catheterisation are reported, 3 after coronary angioplasty, and 3 cases after associated thrombolytic therapy. Three patients developed cutaneous syndromes (livedo reticularis, the "purple toe syndrome") with a favorable outcome in a few weeks. Two patients developed segmental necrosis of the small bowel requiring surgical resection of the affected area. Finally, in 4 cases, the patients died 12 hours to 3 months after catheterization: 2 patients had polyvisceral involvement; one patient developed cardiogenic shock; one patient had intestinal necrosis involving 2/3 of the ileum and the right colon. The cases illustrate the variability of the presentation of CE and its potential gravity. At present, the only effective measures are prophylactic; curative treatment remains particularly disappointing.

[Tissue plasminogen activator (alteplase) in acute massive pulmonary embolism. A pilot study]. / Activateur tissulaire du plasminogène (alteplase) dans l'embolie pulmonaire aiguë massive. Etude pilote.

Twenty six patients with acute (less than 5 days) pulmonary embolism (PE) confirmed by bilateral pulmonary angiography with a Miller index greater than 15 were given tissue plasminogen activator (Alteplase) (rt-PA) intravenously (n = 20) or directly into the pulmonary artery (n = 6). The dosage was 100 mg/7 hours (bolus 10 mg + 40 mg/2 hours + 50 mg/5 hours). Heparin (5000 IV as a bolus and 1000 IV/hour) was associated in all cases. The Miller index decreased from 24 +/- 1 (n = 26) before treatment to 12 +/- 1 (n = 25) (p less than 0.001) after 100 mg of Alteplase, and from 25 +/- 0.4 (n = 14) to 22 +/- 0.5 (n = 14) (p less than 0.001) after 50 mg. The mean pulmonary arterial pressures fell from 30 +/- 2 mmHg to 21 +/- 2 mmHg after 50 mg (n = 26) (p less than 0.001) and to 14 +/- 1 (n = 25) (p less than 0.001) after 100 mg of Alteplase. A decrease in mean pulmonary artery pressures (-22%, p less than 0.001) and total pulmonary resistances (-29%, p less than 0.001) was obtained after one hour of thrombolysis in 12 monitored patients. There were no fatalities. Severe haemorrhage occurred in 6 cases. Therefore, Alteplase induced a rapid dissolution of recent intrapulmonary thrombi without inacceptable haemorrhagic complications. Its action could be particularly beneficial in patients with right ventricular failure due to life threatening pulmonary embolism.

[Coronary embolism disclosing thrombosis on a Medtronic-Hall aortic valve prosthesis in aortic position]. / Embolie coronaire révélant une thrombose d'une prothèse valvulaire mécanique de Medtronic-Hall en position aortique.

A 32 year-old-man admitted to hospital on the third day of myocardial infarction, three months after aortic valve replacement with a mechanical Medtronic-Hall prosthesis. The embolic character of the disease was evident on coronary angiography which showed a large thrombus in the left main coronary artery. The thrombosis of the valve prosthesis was not detected by non-invasive investigations but at aortography, confirmed at surgery. Thrombolysis with rt-PA did not dissolve the clot and reoperation was necessary (valve replacement with aorto-coronary bypass grafting).

[A rare cause of pure isolated chronic aortic insufficiency: congenital quadricuspid aortic valve. Apropos of 2 cases]. / Une cause rare d'insuffisance aortique pure, isolée et chronique: la quadricuspidie aortique congénitale. A propos de deux cas.

The authors report two new cases of congenital quadricuspid aortic valve complicated by pure, severe, chronic, aortic regurgitation. This abnormality was diagnosed fortuitously at transoesophageal echocardiography in one case and at aortography in the other, and confirmed at surgery. This congenital abnormality was associated with superior displacement of the left coronary ostium.

[Comparison of coronary angiography by the left radial and right femoral approach with 4 French catheters]. / Comparaison de la coronarographie par voie radiale gauche et fémorale droite avec des sondes 4 french.

The radial arterial approach has been shown to be valuable for coronary angioplasty. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of the left radial and right femoral approaches for diagnostic coronary angiography. The authors performed a prospective non-randomised series of consecutive diagnostic coronary angiogrammes with small calibre (4 french) catheters by the left radial (100 patients) and right femoral (100 patients) arteries. The feasibility, results and complications were compared. The study showed that diagnostic coronary angiography with 4 F catheters is feasible with a high success rate, both from the left radial (99%) and right femoral (100%) approaches (NS). The duration of the procedure tends to be longer when the radial approach is used (19.2 +/- 1.3 min) than by the femoral artery (16.3 +/- 1.1 min) (p = 0.06). The duration of irradiation is longer with the radial approach (6.7 +/- 1.2 vs 4.9 +/- 0.9 min) (p = 0.0001). Local complications are minor by either approach (N = 5 vs N = 6 patients; p = NS), and there were no major complications. The tolerance of the procedure was not as good when the radial artery was used (N = 5) compared with the femoral artery (N = 1 patient) because of arterial spasm when the catheters were changed. The authors conclude that the left radial and right femoral arteries can be used routinely for diagnostic coronary angiography with small catheters (4 French). The left radial approach allows immediate mobilisation of the patient but the duration of the procedure and the exposure to irradiation are longer.

[Partial interruption of the inferior vena cava using the 2612 filter. Apropos of 35 patients]. / Interruption partielle de la veine cave inférieure (I.P.V.C.I.) par le filtre "2612". A propos de 35 patients.

Partial interruption of inferior vena cava (I.C.V.) forms an integral part of treatment of thromboembolic disease. The most frequently used filter worldwide is currently that of Greenfield, but although its effectiveness and permeability are remarkable it can be the subject of transfixions, sliding movements and migrations. A new model of the authors' own conception is presented which eliminates these faults. The "2612" filter is based on the same concepts, but has added to it 6 lateral flanges soldered to the base of the arms, these applying pressure to the I.V.C. and ensuring its perfect positioning, and 12 hooks (6 turned downwards and 6 upwards) ensuring perfect stability. Results of a multicentre trial in 35 patients, after insertion of the "2612" filter and follow up assessment after 3 months (28 cases) by cavography and in some patients by a scan, showed permeability of 93% and total efficacy. No side effects were reported. This filter appears to represent true progress in the means of interrupting I.V.C., and further studies are contemplated.