A novel real-time intravascular ultrasound double-lumen microcatheter for recanalization of chronic total occlusion: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Chronic total occlusion revascularization remains a challenging problem because of its complexity. We present a case of a patient with chronic total occlusion who was successfully revascularized with the use of a new device called a real-time intravascular ultrasound double-lumen microcatheter. CASE PRESENTATION: A 58-year-old East Asians woman presented to our hospital with a complaint of recurrent chest pain of 5 months' duration. Angiography revealed chronic total occlusion of the right coronary artery from the right coronary artery ostium to the ostia of the posterolateral and posterior descending branches. A guidewire was passed to the distal right coronary artery but went into the false lumens at the posterior descending and posterolateral ostia after use of the antegrade and retrograde approaches. Hence, we used the new device to pass through the subintimal right coronary artery space with reentry into the true lumen before the posterior descending and posterolateral ostia. A stent was successfully deployed at the posterior descending and posterolateral ostia, and the final result was excellent. CONCLUSIONS: This device was useful for finding the entry point and for reentry into the true lumen of a chronic total occlusion. It may be a valuable tool for recanalization of complex chronic total occlusion lesions.

Left Internal Thoracic Artery Graft Assessment by Firefly Fluorescence Imaging for Robot-Assisted Minimally Invasive Direct Coronary Artery Bypass.

OBJECTIVE: The da Vinci Xi surgical system (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) cannot give tactile feedback to surgeons. This shortcoming may increase the risk of left internal thoracic artery (LITA) injury during its harvest. We utilized Firefly Fluorescence Imaging (Firefly) to assess LITA quality in robot-assisted minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (R-MIDCAB). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed clinical records and intraoperative videos of 30 consecutive patients who underwent R-MIDCAB with LITA-left anterior descending (LAD) coronary bypass. All patients had post-harvest assessment of LITA blood flow by Firefly with 1 mL (2.5 mg/mL) of indocyanine green injection through a central line. RESULTS: Twenty-seven of the patients were male, mean age was 67.7 ± 10.7 years. In post-harvest assessment performed before transection of the distal LITA, blood flow in LITA was well visualized in 28 patients. In the remaining 2 patients, 1 had dissection and the other had severe spasm of the LITA. Firefly was also useful for locating LITA and LAD and for assessing blood flow of the graft after anastomosis. Time required for each Firefly assessment was approximately 20 seconds. There were no side effects or complications due to Firefly intraoperatively and postoperatively. Twenty-six patients had postoperative coronary computed tomography; LITA patency rate was 100% (26/26). CONCLUSION: Firefly is fast, simple, and effective for locating and assessing flow in LITA and LAD before and after anastomosis in R-MIDCAB.

Aortic valve replacement with or without myocardial revascularization in octogenarians. Can minimally invasive extracorporeal circuits improve the outcome?

OBJECTIVE: The positive impact of minimally invasive extracorporeal circuits (MiECC) on patient outcome is expected to be most evident in patients with limited physiologic reserves. Nevertheless, most studies have limited their use to low-risk patients undergoing myocardial revascularization. As such, there is little evidence to their benefit outside this patient population. We, therefore, set out to explore their potential benefit in octogenarians undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR) with or without concomitant myocardial revascularization. METHODS: Based on the type of the utilized ECC, we performed a retrospective propensity score-matched comparison among all octogenarians (n = 218) who received a primary AVR with or without concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting in our institution between 2003 and 2010. RESULTS: A MiECC was utilized in 32% of the patients. The propensity score matching yielded 52 matched pairs. The 30-day postoperative mortality (2% vs. 10%; p=0.2), the incidence of low cardiac output (0% vs. 6%; p=0.2) and the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) stay (2.5 ± 2.6 vs. 3.8 ± 4.7 days; p=0.06) were all in favour of the MiECC group, but failed to reach statistical significance while the 90-day postoperative mortality did (2% vs. 16%; p=0.02). CONCLUSION: MiECCs have a positive influence on the outcome of octogenarians undergoing AVR with or without concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting. Their use should, therefore, be extended beyond isolated coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.

The Potential Effects of New Stent Platforms for Coronary Revascularization in Patients With Diabetes.

Coronary artery disease in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) is characterized by extensive atherosclerosis, longer lesions, and diffuse distal disease. Consequently, these patients have worse outcomes after coronary revascularization, regardless of the modality used. Traditionally, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has been regarded as more effective than percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with DM, likely because of more complete revascularization and protection against disease progression in the bypass segment. Revascularization with balloon angioplasty, bare-metal stents, and first-generation drug-eluting stents have all been shown to be inferior to CABG in patients with DM. Current professional society guidelines reflect these findings, strongly recommending CABG over PCI in this setting. Newer stent platforms, however, have challenged this notion. The use of thinner struts, biocompatible polymer coating, and newer antiproliferative agents have improved the rates of cardiovascular events in patients with DM revascularized percutaneously. Since the publication of current guidelines, new studies suggested acceptable outcomes in patients with DM revascularized with second-generation drug-eluting stents, even though these conclusions are drawn from small subgroup analyses or nonrandomized studies. Robust registry data suggest similar mortality with lower rates of stroke after PCI compared with surgery, at the expense of increased rates of repeat revascularization. If complete revascularization can be achieved, similar rates of myocardial infarction are also observed. Therefore, contemporary revascularization in patients with DM with multivessel coronary artery disease should involve a multidisciplinary approach, in which interventional cardiologists and cardiac surgeons involve their patients to individualize treatment choices, and balance the risks and effectiveness of each modality.

One Versus 2-stent Strategy for the Treatment of Bifurcation Lesions in the Context of a Coronary Chronic Total Occlusion. A Multicenter Registry.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: There is little evidence on the optimal strategy for bifurcation lesions in the context of a coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO). This study compared the procedural and mid-term outcomes of patients with bifurcation lesions in CTO treated with provisional stenting vs 2-stent techniques in a multicenter registry. METHODS: Between January 2012 and June 2016, 922 CTO were recanalized at the 4 participating centers. Of these, 238 (25.8%) with a bifurcation lesion (side branch ≥ 2mm located proximally, distally, or within the occluded segment) were treated by a simple approach (n=201) or complex strategy (n=37). Propensity score matching was performed to account for selection bias between the 2 groups. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) consisted of a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and clinically-driven target lesion revascularization. RESULTS: Angiographic and procedural success were similar in the simple and complex groups (94.5% vs 97.3%; P=.48 and 85.6% vs 81.1%; P=.49). However, contrast volume, radiation dose, and fluoroscopy time were lower with the simple approach. At follow-up (25 months), the MACE rate was 8% in the simple and 10.8% in the complex group (P=.58). There was a trend toward a lower MACE-free survival in the complex group (80.1% vs 69.8%; P=.08). After propensity analysis, there were no differences between the groups regarding immediate and follow-up results. CONCLUSIONS: Bifurcation lesions in CTO can be approached similarly to regular bifurcation lesions, for which provisional stenting is considered the technique of choice. After propensity score matching, there were no differences in procedural or mid-term clinical outcomes between the simple and complex strategies.

Novel Sternal Protection Device for Cardiac Surgery Via Median Sternotomy Incision.

OBJECTIVE: Sternal bleeding during cardiac surgery is currently controlled using bone wax or other chemical substances that may result in adverse effects and affect wound healing and recovery. The purpose of this study was to identify a safe, cost-effective, and easy-to-use technique to reduce sternal bleeding and sternal trauma during cardiac surgery. METHODS: After sternotomy, a sternal protection device was placed over each hemisternal section before insertion of the retractor and remained in situ until the end of surgery. Sternal bleeding and ease of use were assessed and recorded during surgery. Sternal trauma was assessed and recorded within 5 minutes of removal of the device, and overall satisfaction (Global Impression) and any intraoperative adverse events or device malfunction were reported at surgery completion. Patients were followed up 24 hours and 4 weeks after surgery. RESULTS: Twelve patients completed the study. Adverse events reported were not considered related to the device. No sternal trauma was identified in any patient. In 9 of 11 patients, sternal bleeding was reduced after insertion of the device. The device was generally considered easy to use, although some difficulty was encountered when used with the Internal Mammary Artery retractor. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that the device is safe and able to reduce sternal bleeding during surgery using sternal retractors. We recommend further studies in a larger population of patients with a control group to evaluate the device's ability to reduce the morbidity associated with sternal bleeding and sternal trauma.

Percutaneous coronary intervention vs. cardiac surgery in diabetic patients. Where are we now and where should we be going?

Patients with diabetes mellitus are at increased risk of developing coronary artery disease (CAD) and have an increased incidence of recurrent events following revascularization. Choosing the most appropriate strategy to revascularize these high-risk patients is crucial for improving the clinical outcomes. Several studies, randomized trials and meta-analyses have compared short- and long-term outcomes following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in diabetic patients suffering from CAD. The aim of this article is to review the currently available evidence on the role of PCI and CABG in the management of diabetic patients with CAD.

Everolimus-eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffolds versus everolimus-eluting metallic stents: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Bioresorbable coronary stents might improve outcomes of patients treated with percutaneous coronary interventions. The everolimus-eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffold is the most studied of these stent platforms; however, its performance versus everolimus-eluting metallic stents remains poorly defined. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of everolimus-eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffolds versus everolimus-eluting metallic stents in patients with ischaemic heart disease treated with percutaneous revascularisation. METHODS: We searched Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), scientific sessions abstracts, and relevant websites for randomised trials investigating everolimus-eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffolds versus everolimus-eluting metallic stents published or posted between Nov 30, 2006, and Oct 12, 2015. The primary efficacy outcome was target lesion revascularisation and the primary safety outcome was definite or probable stent (scaffold) thrombosis. Secondary outcomes were target lesion failure (the composite of cardiac death, target-vessel myocardial infarction, or ischaemia-driven target lesion revascularisation), myocardial infarction, death, and in-device late lumen loss. We derived odds ratios (ORs) and weighted mean differences with 95% CIs, and calculated the risk estimates for the main outcomes according to a random-effects model. This study is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42015026374. FINDINGS: We included six trials, comprising data for 3738 patients randomised to receive percutaneous coronary intervention with either an everolimus-eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffold (n=2337) or an everolimus-eluting metallic stent (n=1401). Median follow-up was 12 months (IQR 9-12). Patients treated with bioresorbable vascular scaffolds had a similar risk of target lesion revascularisation (OR 0.97 [95% CI 0.66-1.43]; p=0.87), target lesion failure (1.20 [0.90-1.60]; p=0.21), myocardial infarction (1.36 [0.98-1.89]; p=0.06), and death (0.95 [0.45-2.00]; p=0.89) as those treated with metallic stents. Patients treated with a bioresorbable vascular scaffold had a higher risk of definite or probable stent thrombosis than those treated with a metallic stent (OR 1.99 [95% CI 1.00-3.98]; p=0.05), with the highest risk between 1 and 30 days after implantation (3.11 [1.24-7.82]; p=0.02). Lesions treated with a bioresorbable vascular scaffold had greater in-device late lumen loss than those treated with a metallic stent (weighted mean difference 0.08 [95% CI 0.05-0.12]; p<0.0001). INTERPRETATION: Compared with everolimus-eluting metallic stents, everolimus-eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffolds had similar rates of repeat revascularisation at 1 year of follow-up, despite inferior mid-term angiographic performance. However, patients treated with a bioresorbable vascular scaffold had an increased risk of subacute stent thrombosis. Studies with extended follow-up in a larger number of patients are needed to fully assess the long-term advantages of everolimus-eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffolds. FUNDING: None.

Computed tomography angiography and myocardial computed tomography perfusion in patients with coronary stents: prospective intraindividual comparison with conventional coronary angiography.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to determine whether adding myocardial computed tomography perfusion (CTP) to computed tomography angiography (CTA) improves diagnostic performance for coronary stents. BACKGROUND: CTA of coronary stents has been limited by nondiagnostic studies caused by metallic stent material and coronary motion. METHODS: CTA and CTP were performed in 91 consecutive patients with stents before quantitative coronary angiography, the reference standard for obstructive stenosis (≥50%). If a coronary stent or vessel was nondiagnostic on CTA, adenosine stress CTP in the corresponding myocardial territory was read for combined CTA/CTP. RESULTS: Patients had an average of 2.5 ± 1.8 coronary stents (1 to 10), with a diameter of 3.0 ± 0.5 mm. Significantly more patients were nondiagnostic for stent assessment by CTA (22%; mainly due to metal artifacts [75%] or motion [25%]) versus CTP (1%; p < 0.001; severe angina precluded CTP in 1 case). The per-patient diagnostic accuracy of CTA/CTP for stents (87%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 78% to 93%) was significantly higher than that of CTA alone (71%, 95% CI: 61% to 80%; p < 0.001), mainly because nondiagnostic examinations were significantly reduced (p < 0.001). In the analysis of any coronary artery disease, diagnostic accuracy and nondiagnostic rate were also significantly improved by the addition of CTP (p < 0.001). CTA/CTP (7.9 ± 2.8 mSv) had a significantly lower effective radiation dose than angiography (9.5 ± 5.1 mSv; p = 0.005). The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve for CTA/CTP (0.82, 95% CI: 0.69 to 0.95) was superior to that for CTA (0.69, 95% CI: 0.57 to 0.82; p < 0.001) in identifying patients requiring stent revascularization. CONCLUSIONS: Combined coronary CTA and myocardial CTP improves diagnosis of CAD and in-stent restenosis in patients with stents compared with CTA alone. (Coronary Artery Stent Evaluation With 320-Slice Computed Tomography-The CArS 320 Study [CARS-320]; NCT00967876).

Dynamic nature of nonculprit coronary artery lesion morphology in STEMI: a serial IVUS analysis from the HORIZONS-AMI trial.

OBJECTIVES: The authors sought to report the temporal stability of an untreated, nonculprit lesion phenotype in patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). BACKGROUND: The temporal stability of the untreated, nonculprit lesion phenotype has been studied using intravascular ultrasound-virtual histology (IVUS) in patients with stable ischemic heart disease, but not in STEMI patients. METHODS: As part of a formal substudy of the HORIZONS-AMI (Harmonizing Outcomes With Revascularization and Stents in Acute Myocardial Infarction) trial, baseline and 13-month follow-up IVUS was performed in 99 untreated nonculprit lesions in 63 STEMI patients. Lesions were classified as pathological intimal thickening (PIT), IVUS-derived thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA), thick-cap fibroatheroma (ThCFA), fibrotic plaque, or fibrocalcific plaque. RESULTS: The frequency of TCFA increased from 41% at baseline to 54% at follow-up, whereas ThCFAs decreased from 41% to 34% and PIT decreased from 16% to 8%. Among the 41 lesions classified at baseline as TCFA, at follow-up, 32 (78%) were still classified as TCFA, whereas 9 (22%) were classified as ThCFAs or fibrotic plaques. An additional 21 lesions at follow-up were newly classified as TCFA, developing from either PIT or ThCFA. TCFA at baseline that evolved into non-TCFAs trended toward a more distal location than TCFA that did not change (p = 0.12). In lesions classified as TCFA, the minimum lumen area (MLA) decreased from 8.1 (interquartile range [IQR]: 7.4 to 8.8) mm(2) at baseline to 7.8 (IQR: 7.2 to 8.4) mm(2) at follow-up, p < 0.05; this was associated with an increase in percent necrotic core at the MLA site (14% [IQR: 12 to 16] to 19% [IQR: 17 to 22], p < 0.0001) and over the entire length of the lesion (14% [IQR: 12 to 16] to 18% [IQR: 17 to 20], p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Untreated nonculprit lesions in STEMI patients frequently have TCFA morphology that does not change during 13-month follow-up and is accompanied by a decrease in MLA and an increase in necrotic core. (Harmonizing Outcomes With Revascularization and Stents in Acute Myocardial Infarction [HORIZONS-AMI]; NCT00433966).

Novel devices and specialized techniques in recanalization of peripheral artery chronic total occlusions (CTOs)--a literature review.

Currently, recanalization of chronic total occlusions (CTOs) in peripheral arteries remains a challenging obstacle encountered by clinical practitioners. Percutaneous CTO interventions are associated with low rates of procedural success using standard guidewires and catheters. When guidewires cannot cross the occluded segment or fail to reenter the true lumen after subintimal crossing of the occlusion, successful recanalization may be unachievable. In the last few years, the emergence of novel devices and new techniques has dramatically improved the success rates of the revascularization for CTOs. This paper reviews the published data of current devices and specialized techniques of percutaneous intervention to relieve CTOs.

Impact of different stent alloys on human vascular response to everolimus-eluting stent: an optical coherence tomography study: the OCTEVEREST.

BACKGROUND: New generation drug-eluting stents (DES) incorporate thinner struts and novel alloys to improve clinical performance. Nevertheless, the impact of novel stent materials and designs on human vascular response to DES remains elusive. We sought to evaluate the in-vivo coronary artery response to platinum-chromium (PtCr) versus cobalt-chromium (CoCr) stents featuring the same durable polymer and antiproliferative drug by optical coherence tomography (OCT). METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 42 patients with de novo lesions in native coronary vessels was treated with PtCr-everolimus eluting stent (EES; n = 21) or CoCr-EES (n = 21). Angiography, intravascular ultrasound, and OCT were performed at the index procedure and 6-month follow-up. PtCr-EES and CoCr-EES had similar concentric expansion (stent eccentricity index; median 0.91 vs. 0.90, respectively, P = 0.47) and very low rate of strut malapposition (median 1.15 vs. 1.80%, P = 0.92) at post implantation. Proportion of struts embedded in tissue was lower in PtCr-EES compared to CoCr-EES (median 2.67 vs. 15.23%, P < 0.001). The primary prespecified end point, the percentage of uncovered struts per patient at 6 months follow-up, was 8.46% [interquartile range (IQR) = 3.05-17.26] in PtCr-EES and 5.88% (IQR = 1.35-13.27) in CoCr-EES (P = 0.36), whereas malapposed struts were observed in 0.00% (IQR = 0.00-0.25) versus 0.48% (IQR = 0.00-1.44), respectively, (P = 0.10). Strut-level neointimal thickness did not differ between the two platforms (median 0.09 vs. 0.08 mm, P = 0.49). CONCLUSIONS: Acute and mid-term responses to EES using PtCr or CoCr platforms were similar, with concentric stent expansion, low malapposition, similar strut coverage and limited amount of neointima. Conversely, at postprocedure, PtCr-EES had fewer embedded struts compared with CoCr-EES.

Long-term outcomes after transmyocardial revascularization.

BACKGROUND: Two independent reports documented substantially higher operative mortality associated with transmyocardial revascularization (TMR) when used in isolation than that reported in the premarket clinical trials. To clarify the state of the art, this article assesses temporal trends in the use of TMR, short-term and long-term outcomes, and outcomes stratified by procedure type (TMR only and TMR + coronary artery bypass graft [CABG]) and by the 2 specific TMR devices. METHODS: The study population included all patients undergoing TMR in isolation or in combination with CABG at 435 cardiothoracic hospitals in the United States participating in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Adult Cardiac Surgery Database (ACSD) from January 2000 through November 2006 (n = 15,386). Analysis of long-term outcomes was accomplished through linkage to Medicare claims data. Short-term and long-term (7 years) adverse outcomes were assessed and compared between the 2 TMR device types. RESULTS: The use of TMR in conjunction with CABG surgery is increasing. This study showed modest differences in short-term morbidity and mortality between the 2 devices. In combination with CABG, after risk adjustment, patients treated with the holmium:YAG laser (experienced a higher rate of operative mortality (3.5% vs 2.5%; adjusted hazard ratio 1.39, 95% confidence level 1.03 to 1.87) but no difference in the composite short-term rate of major morbidity or mortality, compared with the Heart Laser CO2 transmyocardial revascularization system (PLC Medical Systems, Inc, Milford, MA). However, there were no clinically meaningful differences in long-term results. CONCLUSIONS: Modest differences in short-term morbidity and mortality between the 2 devices suggest the usefulness of further research.

Long-Term (>10 Years) clinical outcomes of first-in-human biodegradable poly-l-lactic acid coronary stents: Igaki-Tamai stents.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term safety of the Igaki-Tamai stent, the first-in-human fully biodegradable coronary stent made of poly-l-lactic acid. METHODS AND RESULTS: Between September 1998 and April 2000, 50 patients with 63 lesions were treated electively with 84 Igaki-Tamai stents. Overall clinical follow-up (>10 years) of major adverse cardiac events and rates of scaffold thrombosis was analyzed together with the results of angiography and intravascular ultrasound. Major adverse cardiac events included all-cause death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization/target vessel revascularization. During the overall clinical follow-up period (121 ± 17 months), 2 patients were lost to follow-up. There were 1 cardiac death, 6 noncardiac deaths, and 4 myocardial infarctions. Survival rates free of all-cause death, cardiac death, and major adverse cardiac events at 10 years were 87%, 98%, and 50%, respectively. The cumulative rates of target lesion revascularization (target vessel revascularization) were 16% (16%) at 1 year, 18% (22%) at 5 years, and 28% (38%) at 10 years. Two definite scaffold thromboses (1 subacute, 1 very late) were recorded. The latter case was related to a sirolimus-eluting stent, which was implanted for a lesion proximal to an Igaki-Tamai stent. From the analysis of intravascular ultrasound data, the stent struts mostly disappeared within 3 years. The external elastic membrane area and stent area did not change. CONCLUSION: Acceptable major adverse cardiac events and scaffold thrombosis rates without stent recoil and vessel remodeling suggested the long-term safety of the Igaki-Tamai stent.

The incidence and timing of noncardiac surgery after cardiac stent implantation.

BACKGROUND: In November 2007, national guidelines were released recommending delay of elective noncardiac surgery after cardiac revascularization with drug eluting stents (DES) for 12 months compared with 6 weeks after implantation of bare metal stents (BMS). STUDY DESIGN: To determine the incidence of noncardiac surgery within 24 months after stent placement, national VA data on cardiac stent implantation were merged with data from the VA National Surgery Office and Medicare. Using chi-square tests and log-rank analyses, we measured the incidence of noncardiac surgery after BMS and DES in relation to guideline release and surgical characteristics. RESULTS: From 2000 to 2010, 126,773 stent procedures were followed by 25,977 (20.5%) noncardiac operations within 24 months. Overall, 11.8% of the BMS surgery cohort had early surgery (less than 6 weeks) compared with 46.7% of the DES surgery cohort, which had early surgery (less than 12 months). The incidence of surgery differed significantly by stent type (BMS 24.1% vs DES 17.5%, p < 0.001) and in relation to guideline release (pre- 24.6% vs postguideline 13.1%, p < 0.001). Higher complexity operations (work relative value units) were more likely to occur in the early period for both BMS (p < 0.0001) and DES (p < 0.003). After guideline release, the incidence of surgery within 12 months decreased from 16.7% to 10.0% (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: We found evidence that guidelines recommending delaying surgery appear to be effective in decreasing the incidence of early surgery; however, early surgery is still a frequent occurrence. Additional research is needed to better define the risk of cardiac and bleeding complications in patients undergoing subsequent noncardiac surgery, as well as the optimal time for surgery and method of antiplatelet management.

Revascularization of left main coronary artery disease.

Coronary artery disease with left main stenosis is associated with the highest mortality of any coronary lesion. Studies in the 1970s and 1980s comparing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and medical therapy showed a significant survival benefit with revascularization. In the angioplasty era, initial experience with percutaneous intervention was associated with poor clinical outcomes. As a result, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was restricted to patients who were considered inoperable, or those with prior CABG with a functional graft to the left anterior descending or circumflex artery ("protected left main disease"). With the introduction of drug-eluting stents, there are new studies demonstrating comparable survival in patients who were revascularized using PCI and CABG, although percutaneous revascularization is associated with a higher rate of repeat revascularization. In the SYNTAX (Synergy between PCI with Taxus and Cardiac Surgery) trial, the combined incidence of death, myocardial infarction, and stroke was similar between the CABG and PCI groups; however, the stroke rate was higher in the CABG group. The degree and extent of disease as defined by the SYNTAX scoring system has allowed for stratification of risk and improved assignment of patients with left main stenosis to either PCI or CABG.

Effect of improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction on long-term survival in revascularized patients with ischaemic left ventricular systolic dysfunction.

AIMS: The importance of improvement in the ejection fraction to the prognosis of revascularized patients with ischaemic left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is uncertain. METHODS AND RESULTS: Eighty-seven patients with ischaemic LV dysfunction (mean ejection fraction 29 ± 8% by biplane Simpson's) had dobutamine echocardiography before revascularization (coronary bypass graft surgery-81, percutaneous intervention-6). Follow-up echocardiograms were performed a mean of 4.8 ± 6.2 months after revascularization. An 8% increase in the ejection fraction was considered significant (two times the inter-observer difference of 3.7%). Patients were followed for cardiac death. During a mean follow-up of 5.2 ± 3.9 years, there were 20 (23%) cardiac deaths. Class 3/4 heart failure, increasing low-dose wall motion score, increasing % non-viable myocardium, and digoxin use in follow-up were univariate predictors of death. Beta-blocker use, ejection fraction improvement, angina, aspirin use, and increasing fractional shortening were univariate predictors of survival. Ejection fraction improvement [P= 0.02, hazard ratio (HR) = 0.26], digoxin use in follow-up (P= 0.006, HR = 5.85), and low-dose wall motion score (P= 0.017, HR = 4.78) were independent predictors of outcome. In step-wise analysis, low-dose wall motion score added incremental prognostic value to ejection fraction improvement (P= 0.003), and digoxin use in follow-up (P= 0.003) added incremental value to a low-dose score and ejection fraction improvement. CONCLUSION: Ejection fraction improvement is an independent predictor of long-term outcome in revascularized patients but viability (low-dose wall motion score) and digoxin use in follow-up are also independent predictors and add incremental prognostic value to ejection fraction improvement.

Heparin- and basic fibroblast growth factor-incorporated degradable stent: comparison with traditional transmyocardial revascularization.

AIM: We have recently developed a novel method transmyocardial drilling revascularization (TMDR) combined with heparinized bFGF-incorporating degradable tubular stent implantation to revascularize ischemic myocardium. The aim of the present study was to compare the effect of this new method on left ventricular (LV) remodeling and global function to traditional transmyocardial revascularization (TMR) in acute myocardial ischemia. METHODS: Eighteen miniswine underwent ligation of the left anterior descending (LAD) at the mid-third and were divided into three groups (N.=6 in each group): no treatment (control), TMDR (T), and TMDR+stent implantation (TS) groups. Two channels with 3.5 mm in diameter were established (T and TS groups), followed by implantation of two stents (TS group). LV function, myocardial perfusion, expression of von Willebrand factor (vWF), transforming growth factor-ß3 (TGF-ß3), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin-1beta (IL-1ß), vascular density, and histologic and morphologic analyses were evaluated at different time-points. RESULTS: Six weeks post-treatment, there were no differences between T and control groups. TS group showed significant improvement compared to T group as to: expressions of TGF-ß3, VEGF, vWF and IL-1ß (P<0.001), neovascular density (2.561±391 vs. 6.201±443 pixels/hpf, P<0.001), myocardial viability (18.913±2775 vs. 94.800±14.076 pixels/hpf, P<0.001), and dp/dtmax (1.735±161 vs. 2.242±223 mmHg/s, P<0.001), Further, there were significant decreases in changes of Mass Defect Percent (2.05±0.22% vs. -1.79±0.45%, P<0.001) and LV end diastolic volume (164.83±10.74 vs. 147.00±7.32 mL, P=0.048) in the TS group. CONCLUSION: TMDR and stent implantation is more effective in enhancement of myocardial viability, improvement of global LV function, and attenuation of LV remodeling than TMDR.