[Left main coronary artery stent application: early and late period results]. / Sol ana koroner artere stent uygulamalari: erken-geç dönem sonuçlari.

OBJECTIVES: Percutaneous coronary intervention of left main coronary artery (LMCA) in the setting of acute myocardial infarction or in patients with cardiac and non-cardiac diseases that increase mortality rate after coronary artery bypass surgery has been proposed as "last resort option" and these patients can be managed safely with intracoronary stenting. In this study, we evaluated the short- and long-term follow-up outcomes of patients with left main coronary lesions underwent stent implantation in our clinic. METHOD: A total of 15 patients (12 M, 3 F; mean age 58 +/- 13 years) with left main coronary stenosis considered at high risk for surgical treatment or patients with acute myocardial infarction with LMCA stenosis were enrolled into the study and treated by stenting. Eight patients were treated for unstable angina (53%), 2 had stable angina (13%) and 5 had acute myocardial infarction (33%). Three patients had "protected" and 12 patients "unprotected" LMCA stenosis. An intraaortic balloon pump was used in 6 (40%) and pacemaker in 4 (26.6%) patients. RESULTS: In the study group the short and long-term mortality rate was 4 (26.6%). Among 13 survived cases, signs of left ventricular failure developed in 2 patients (15.3%). Restenosis rate on control coronary angiography was revealed in 28.8% of cases. CONCLUSION: Utilization of elective stenting in patients at high surgical risk with protected and unprotected LMCA lesions and percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with acute myocardial infarction and left main coronary artery lesions could be appraised as an alternative to surgical treatment approaches.

[Demographic and clinical features of coronary artery patients in the district of Antalya and comparison of them with Turkey's averages]. / Antalya bölgesindeki koroner arter hastalarinin demografik ve klinik özellikleri ve bu özelliklerinin Türkiye ortalamalari ile karsilastirilmasi.

OBJECTIVES: Many studies have proved high plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels as determinant major risk factors for coronary artery disease. It is also well known that coronary artery disease incidence and related mortality and morbidity is low in communities applying Mediterranean diet. Turkey, having a high incidence of coronary artery disease, is unique because of the diversity of eating habits in different regions of the country. The inhabitants of Antalya region of interest in our study, are generally kept Mediterranean diet. We thought to determine the clinical and demographic features of the coronary artery disease patients living in the district of Antalya, and to find out if they correlate with Turkey's averages when compared. We also searched for the preventive effect of Mediterranean diet, if there was any. METHODS: 516 patients, who were admitted to the department of cardiology, were investigated in terms of age, sex, smoking habits, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, family history, angina class, usage of aspirin and nitrates. RESULTS: The results revealed that clinical and demographical features of the coronary artery disease in the district of Antalya were similar with turkey's averages and that the benefits brought by the preventive effects of Mediterranean diet, might have been comprised by smoking.

Late results of combined percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty of mitral and tricuspid valves.

Although combined mitral and tricuspid stenosis are rarely seen in patients with rheumatic heart disease, when both exist together, combined percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty can be an alternative to surgical treatment in suitable cases. We present the immediate and late follow up results of 12 patients with rheumatic tricuspid and mitral stenosis treated with combined percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty. Twelve patients (11 female, 91.7%; 1 male, 8.3%) with a mean age of 35.3 +/- 6.4 years were enrolled in the study. The patients were followed up for 38.8 +/- 12.6 months. The mitral valve area increased from 1.2 +/- 0.2 cm2 to 2.3 +/- 0.2 cm2 (P < 0.01) and on follow up the mitral valve area did not differ significantly (2.2 +/- 0.2 cm2; P > 0.05). The tricuspid valve area increased from 1.6 +/- 0.3 cm2 to 3.2 +/- 0.2 cm2 (P < 0.01) and on follow up the tricuspid valve area did not differ significantly (3.1 +/- 0.2 cm2; P > 0.05). Two patients (16.6%) had tricuspid restenosis and tricuspid re-valvuloplasty. One other patient (8.3%) was referred to surgery 14 months after the procedure secondary to severe tricuspid regurgitation. In conclusion, this study demonstrates a sustained benefit on late follow up after combined percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty of mitral and tricuspid valves and confirms the efficacy and safety of the procedure as an alternative to surgery in selected cases of combined mitral and tricuspid stenosis.

Comparative clinical and angiographic analysis of the initial efficacy and long-term follow-up of Wiktor stent implantation with conventional balloon angioplasty.

This study was retrospectively designed to examine if the Wiktor stent, a balloon-expandable tantalum coil stent, provides a more favorable procedural and long-term clinical and angiographic outcome than does conventional coronary balloon angioplasty (POBA). From April 1995 to April 1996, we implanted 56 Wiktor stents in 46 lesions (LAD: 23, RCA: 16, CX: 7) in 42 patients (average age 53 +/- 10 years). Coronary lesions from the stent group were matched with similar lesions of another 42 POBA patients whose characteristics were identical to the Wiktor group. Revascularization indications in the Wiktor and POBA groups, respectively, were recent myocardial infarction (RMI) (45%, 40%), unstable (31%, 39%) and stable (24%, 21%) angina pectoris. 7% of the stents and 17% of the POBA balloons were less than 3 mm in diameter (p > 0.05). Procedural success was significantly greater in the Wiktor group than in the POBA group (100% vs. 92%, p < 0.05). Neither major cardiac event (death, CABG, acute myocardial infarction) nor (sub)acute occlusion was encountered in the Wiktor group during the hospitalization period and 1 month follow-up. There was 1 urgent CABG and 4 subacute occlusions in the POBA group. Control angiography at 8 months was performed in patients of both groups, of whom some were symptomatic at long-term follow-up or completely event free for 8 months. Angiographic restenosis (> 50% diameter stenosis) occurred in 25% of the Wiktor patients and in 43% of those in the POBA group (p < 0.05). For an 18 month clinical follow-up, 91% of the patients in the Wiktor group were asymptomatic and without ischemia in radionuclide imaging (RI), whereas 79% of the POBA patients were angina-free and 74% were without ischemia in the RI study. In conclusion, Wiktor stent implantation, with no major cardiac event or subacute occlusion, provides a more favorable procedural and long-term clinical and angiographic outcome than does conventional POBA.