Reducing Patient Radiation Dose With Image Noise Reduction Technology in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Procedures.

X-ray radiation exposure is of great concern for patients undergoing structural heart interventions. In addition, a larger group of medical staff is required and exposed to radiation compared with percutaneous coronary interventions. This study aimed at quantifying radiation dose reduction with implementation of specific image noise reduction technology (NRT) in transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) procedures. We retrospectively analyzed 104 consecutive patients with TAVI procedures, 52 patients before and 52 after optimization of x-ray radiation chain, and implementation of NRT. Patients with 1-step TAVI and complex coronary intervention, or complex TAVI procedures, were excluded. Before the procedure, all patients received a multislice computed tomography scan, which was used to size aortic annulus, select the optimal implantation plane, valve type and size, and guide valve implantation using a software tool. Air kerma and kerma-area product were compared in both groups to determine patient radiation dose reduction. Baseline parameters, co-morbidity, or procedural data were comparable between groups. Mean kerma-area product was significantly lower (p <0.001) in the NRT group compared with the standard group (60 ± 39 vs 203 ± 106 Gy × cm(2), p <0.001), which corresponds to a reduction of 70%. Mean air kerma was reduced by 64% (494 ± 360 vs 1,355 ± 657 mGy, p <0.001). In conclusion, using optimized x-ray chain combined with specific image noise reduction technology has the potential to significantly reduce by 2/3 radiation dose in standard TAVI procedures without worsening image quality or prolonging procedure time.

Prospective Multicenter Evaluation of the Direct Flow Medical Transcatheter Aortic Valve System: 12-Month Outcomes of the Evaluation of the Direct Flow Medical Percutaneous Aortic Valve 18F System for the Treatment of Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis (DISCOVER) Study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the 1-year outcome after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) of the Direct Flow Medical (DFM) valve in patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis who were contraindicated or high risk for surgery. BACKGROUND: The DFM transcatheter heart valve is a new-generation, nonmetallic aortic valve with a pressurized support structure and conformable double-ring annular sealing delivered through an 18-F sheath. The device allows repositioning, retrieval, and assessment of valve performance before permanent implantation. METHODS: A prospective multicenter European registry was set up to determine the safety and performance of the valve in 100 consecutive patients (10 centers). Echocardiographic and angiographic data were evaluated by an independent core laboratory, and adverse events were adjudicated by a clinical events committee using Valve Academic Research Consortium criteria. RESULTS: Patients were 83.1 ± 5.9 years of age and had a logistic EuroSCORE of 22.5 ± 11.3% and a Society of Thoracic Surgeons score of 9.7 ± 8.7%. Correct valve positioning was obtained in 99% of cases with a combined 30-day safety endpoint at 10%, including major stroke in 5.0%, major vascular complications in 2.0%, and death in 1%. At 12 months, 95% of patients were in New York Heart Association functional class I or II. Freedom from any death was 90%, and freedom from any death or major stroke was 85%. Echocardiography demonstrated none/trace to mild aortic regurgitation in 100% of patients and an unchanged mean aortic gradient of 12.2 ± 6.6 mm Hg and effective orifice area of 1.6 ± 0.4 cm(2). CONCLUSIONS: At 1 year, the DFM transcatheter heart valve had durable hemodynamics. This study demonstrates that the low rate of early complications and the low risk of significant aortic regurgitation translated into midterm clinical benefit.

Transcatheter valve-in-ring implantation of a repositionable valve system for treatment of severe mitral regurgitation.

INTRODUCTION: Years after mitral valve surgery, progressive degeneration of reconstructed mitral valves or bioprostheses might lead to severe mitral valve regurgitation. Patients with significant comorbidity, or impaired left ventricular function are poor candidates for redo surgery at an acceptable risk at that later time point. METHODS AND RESULTS: This study reports the first-in-man transapical valve-in-ring implantations in the mitral position of the fully repositionable Lotus valve system approved for transcatheter aortic valve replacement in Europe. Transapical valve-in-ring implantations with this valve system were successfully performed in a 64-year-old female, and a 53-year-old male patient. Both patients were NHYA class IV, and carried an unacceptably high risk of cardiac surgery due to clinical condition and comorbidity. The first patient was successfully implanted a 25 mm valve, improved to NYHA class II, and was discharged 2 weeks after the procedure. The second patient required a short episode of cardiopulmonary resuscitation after valve implantation (27 mm), and was placed on veno-venous ECMO for 24 hr to improve oxygenation. He developed stroke on day 7, and deceased from fatal, toxic rhabdomyolysis 13 days after the procedure. CONCLUSION: Transapical valve-in-ring implantation of the repositionable Lotus valve system in the mitral position is a feasible and promising option that merits further evaluation. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A multicenter randomized trial comparing amphilimus- with paclitaxel-eluting stents in de novo native coronary artery lesions.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to demonstrate the noninferiority of polymer-free amphilimus-eluting stents (Cre8, CID, Saluggia, Italy) versus permanent-polymer paclitaxel-eluting stents (Taxus Liberté, Boston Scientific, Natick, Massachusetts) in de novo percutaneous coronary intervention. BACKGROUND: Although the efficacy of the drug-eluting stent has been well established, the risk-benefit balance is still suboptimal, and the safety of polymers remains uncertain. METHODS: Patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for de novo lesions were randomly assigned 1:1 to Cre8 or Taxus Liberté stents. Primary endpoint was 6-month angiographic in-stent late lumen loss (LLL) within a noninferiority scope. Six-month intravascular ultrasound was performed in 20% of the patients. All patients will be clinically followed up to 5 years. RESULTS: Out of 323 patients enrolled, 162 received Cre8 and 161 Taxus Liberté stents. In-stent LLL was significantly lower in Cre8 group (0.14 ± 0.36 mm vs. 0.34 ± 0.40 mm, p noninferiority <0.0001, p superiority <0.0001). Clinical endpoints (cardiac death, myocardial infarction, target lesion revascularization, and stent thrombosis) up to 12 months did not differ significantly between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: The Cre8 stent in de novo lesions showed significantly lower in-stent LLL at 6 months than the Taxus Liberté stent did, with a trend toward better 12-month clinical safety and efficacy results. (International Randomized Comparison Between DES Limus Carbostent and Taxus Drug-Eluting Stents in the Treatment of De Novo Coronary Lesions [NEXT]; NCT01373502).

Coronary stenting with MGuard: extended follow-up of first human trial.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate feasibility and safety of MGuard based percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) in vein grafts (VG) and native coronaries (NC). BACKGROUND: Distal embolization is a frequent complication of PCI of VG and NC during acute coronary syndromes (ACS). MGuard was a stent designed to reduce embolization. METHODS: Prospective, single arm, two-center trial assessing the feasibility and safety of MGuard-based PCI with post-PCI clinical and laboratory monitoring including: cardiac biomarkers, ECG and 6-month angiography. RESULTS: Forty-one patients with mean age of 68.2±10.1 years were enrolled. Mean VG age (n=23) was 14.4±4.3 years. All patients received heparin, clopidogrel and aspirin; while none received glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors, or embolic protection device (EPD). Device and procedural success were 100% and 95.1% respectively. Two patients (4.9%) experienced procedure-related creatinine phosphokinase rise. At 6 months one patient had myocardial infarction and 19.5% had target vessel revascularization (TLR). Late follow up (12-27 months) revealed one additional TLR. CONCLUSION: MGuard based PCI of NC and VG appears encouraging especially in view of unfavorable patient and lesion characteristics. Efficacy needs to be further established in larger randomized trials.

Carotid artery stenting: do procedural complications relate to the side intervened upon?: results from the Carotid Artery Stent (CAS)-Registry of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Leitende Kardiologische Krankenhausärzte (ALKK).

OBJECTIVES: To determine the influence of the side intervened upon on outcomes during carotid artery stenting (CAS). BACKGROUND: Anatomic and technical aspects may influence the results of CAS. The value of the side intervened upon has not been analyzed yet. METHODS: We analyzed data from the Carotid Artery Stent (CAS)-Registry. RESULTS: A total of 3,165 CAS procedures, 1,613 (51%) at the left and 1,552 (49%) at the right carotid artery were included. There was a higher proportion of patients treated for symptomatic stenoses when CAS was performed at the left carotid artery (50.1% versus 45.8%, P = 0.016) and more patients already had prior carotid endarterectomy (8.5% versus 5.8%, P = 0.003). Interventions at the left side took 3 min longer than interventions at the right side (46.6 +/- 24.3 versus 43.8 +/- 23.6, P = 0.003). In patients treated at the left carotid artery amaurosis fugax (0.7% versus 0.1%, P = 0.005), ipsilateral stroke (3.1% versus 1.8%, P = 0.017), and the primary endpoint of in-hospital death or stroke (4.1% versus 2.3%, P = 0.005) occurred significantly more often. Even after adjusting for confounding parameters, CAS procedures performed at the left carotid arteries remained an independent predictor of death or stroke (OR = 1.77, 95% CI: 1.15-2.72, P = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: In current clinical practice, CAS is performed frequently at the right carotid artery as at the left carotid artery. CAS interventions have a higher in-hospital complication rate if performed at the left carotid artery. Technical improvements might help to overcome this situation.

Novel drug eluting stent system for customised treatment of coronary lesions: CUSTOM I feasibility trial 24 month results.

AIMS: The Custom NX 36 Drug Eluting Stent (DES) System is designed to treat coronary lesions via in situ stent length customisation. The stent evaluated in this study consists of nine interdigitated stent segments, each 4 mm in length, coated with a biodegradable formulation of Biolimus A9 and Poly-Lactic-Acid, a biodegradable drug carrier, and loaded into a unique sheath protected, integrated balloon delivery system. METHODS AND RESULTS: The objective of this non-randomised prospective multicentre CUSTOM I Trial was to demonstrate the safety of in situ stent length customisation in 30 consecutive patients. Angiographic (QCA) and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) follow-up was performed at two cohort time intervals: four (n=10) or eight (n=20) months. Mean lesion length and reference vessel diameters were 17.7 +/- 9.6 mm and 2.6 +/- 0.3 mm, respectively. Procedural success was 93%. There were three MACEs in the study population from enrollment through to twenty-four month follow-up. The in-hospital MACE rate was 2/30, with non-Q-wave myocardial infarctions events in two patients who recovered without further sequelae. At five months, one patient who had crossed over initially to PTCA required CABG surgery. Results from QCA and IVUS assessments at four and eight months showed no binary restenosis, mean in-stent late luminal loss of 0.25 +/- 0.23 mm and 0.26 +/- 0.23 mm. CONCLUSIONS: This first evaluation of the new customisable Biolimus A9-eluting Custom NX stent suggests safety and efficacy through twenty-four month follow-up. Further evaluations are warranted to confirm the overall favourable outcomes.

Comparison of in-hospital outcomes of patients with versus without previous carotid endarterectomy undergoing carotid stenting (from the German ALKK CAS Registry).

Repeat carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for recurrent stenosis remains a challenging treatment option associated with high morbidity and mortality. Carotid artery stenting (CAS) is an attractive alternative management option for these patients. However, data about the effectiveness and safety of CAS in a large number of unselected patients are less known. We evaluated 3,070 patients who underwent CAS enrolled in a German registry from 1996 to 2006 at 31 sites. We compared clinical and angiographic features and in-hospital outcomes of patients with and without previous CEA who underwent CAS. Of 3,070 patients in the registry, 223 (7.3%) underwent CAS for restenosis after previous CEA. Median age was similar in patients with and without previous CEA (70 years, interquartile range 64 to 76 vs 71 years, interquartile range 65 to 76). Ipsilateral neurologic symptoms occurred in approximately 1/2 the patients in both groups. Other co-morbid conditions and angiographic or procedural factors did not differ between the 2 groups. In-hospital events including death (0% vs 0.4%), ipsilateral major stroke (1.4% vs 1.5%), death or major ipsilateral stroke (1.4% vs 1.7%), ipsilateral transient ischemic attack (1.9% vs 2.8%), myocardial infarction (0.4% vs 0.1%), and reintervention (0.7% vs 0.4%) were all low and not significantly different between those with and without previous CEA (p >0.05 for all comparisons). In conclusion, our data for a large number of patients who underwent CAS in a recent contemporary community-based practice attests to the low risk of periprocedural events in patients with recurrent stenosis after previous CEA. This low risk along with the less invasive nature of the procedure should make CAS an attractive and perhaps preferred option for the treatment of these patients.

Clinical and angiographic analysis with a cobalt alloy coronary stent (driver) in stable and unstable angina pectoris.

The Clinical and Angiographic analysis with a Cobalt Alloy Coronary Stent (Driver) (CLASS) study was a prospective, nonrandomized, multicenter study designed to assess the safety and efficacy of a cobalt-chromium alloy-based stent in patients with stable or unstable angina pectoris. A total of 203 lesions were treated in 202 enrolled patients. The percentage of major adverse cardiac event-free patients was 87.6% (177 of 202) at 6 months (primary safety end point; major adverse cardiac events were defined as death, myocardial infarction, emergency bypass surgery, or target lesion revascularization [percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty or coronary artery bypass grafting]). The angiographic success rate (primary efficacy end point) was 100%, and the procedural success rate was 98%. The binary in-stent restenosis rate at 6 months was 12.6%. Our results have demonstrated that the Driver cobalt-chromium alloy stent can be used with a low 6-month incidence of major adverse cardiac events, a low 6-month binary restenosis rate, and high angiographic and procedural success rates.

Two-year-plus follow-up of a paclitaxel-eluting stent in de novo coronary narrowings (TAXUS I).

Early results with polymer-based paclitaxel-eluting stents have shown significant improvements in the clinical and angiographic parameters of restenosis, as well as excellent safety outcomes. However, the duration of these beneficial effects is unknown. Therefore, the clinical outcomes of the TAXUS I study population were evaluated at 2- and 3-year follow-up. In TAXUS I, 61 patients with single, focal coronary lesions were randomly assigned to receive either a paclitaxel-eluting TAXUS stent (n = 31) or a bare metal control stent (n = 30). Low rates of composite major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) reported at 1-year follow-up (3.2% TAXUS vs 10.0% control) were maintained at 2 and 3 years, with no additional MACEs in either treatment group 1 year after implantation. The single target vessel revascularization in the TAXUS group was remote from the target lesion in contrast to 3 target lesion revascularizations in the control group.