Long-term effect of biodegradable vs durable polymer everolimus-eluting stents on neoatherosclerosis in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: the CONNECT trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Neoatherosclerosis is a leading cause of late (>1 year) stent failure following drug-eluting stent implantation. The role of biodegradable (BP) versus durable polymer (DP) drug-eluting stents on long-term occurrence of neoatherosclerosis remains unclear. Superiority of biodegradable against durable polymer current generation thin-strut everolimus-eluting stent (EES) was tested by assessing the frequency of neoatherosclerosis 3 years after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) among patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). METHODS: The randomized controlled, multicentre (Japan and Switzerland) CONNECT trial (NCT03440801) randomly (1:1) assigned 239 STEMI patients to pPCI with BP-EES or DP-EES. The primary endpoint was the frequency of neoatherosclerosis assessed by optical coherence tomography (OCT) at 3 years. Neoatherosclerosis was defined as fibroatheroma or fibrocalcific plaque or macrophage accumulation within the neointima. RESULTS: Among 239 STEMI patients randomized, 236 received pPCI with stent implantation (119 BP-EES; 117 DP-EES). A total of 178 patients (75%; 88 in the BP-EES group and 90 in the DP-EES group) underwent OCT assessment at 3 years. Neoatherosclerosis did not differ between the BP-EES (11.4%) and DP-EES (13.3%; odds ratio 0.83, 95% confidence interval 0.33-2.04, p=0.69). There were no differences in the frequency of fibroatheroma (BP-EES 9.1% vs DP-EES 11.1%, p=0.66) or macrophage accumulation (BP-EES 4.5% vs DP-EES 3.3%, p=0.68), and no fibrocalcific neoatherosclerosis was observed. Rates of target lesion failure did not differ between groups (BP-EES 5.9% vs DP-EES 6.0%, p=0.97). CONCLUSIONS: Use of BP-EES for primary PCI in patients presenting with STEMI was not superior to DP-EES regarding frequency of neoatherosclerosis at 3 years.

Pathological evaluation of predictors for delayed endothelial coverage after currently available drug-eluting stent implantation in coronary arteries: Impact of lesions with acute and chronic coronary syndromes.

BACKGROUND: The optimal duration of dual antiplatelet therapy after currently available drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation to prevent stent thrombosis (ST) remains controversial. Delayed healing is frequently identified as a leading cause of ST in the early phase. However, a thorough pathological investigation into strut coverage after currently available DES implantation is lacking-a gap addressed in the current study. METHODS: From our autopsy registry of 199 stented lesions, 4,713 struts from 66 currently available DES-stented lesions with an implant duration ≤370 days were histologically evaluated. Endothelial coverage was defined as the presence of luminal endothelial cells overlying struts and an underlying smooth muscle cell layer. The stented lesions were classified into acute coronary syndrome (ACS) (n = 40) and chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) (n = 26) groups and were compared. Endothelial coverage predictors were identified through logistic analysis. RESULTS: Although ACS and CCS lesions presented comparable clinical characteristics, including age, sex, and cause of death, the latter exhibited a significantly higher prevalence of chronic kidney disease and hemodialysis than the former (33.3% vs. 65.2%; P = .02, 7.7% vs. 30.4%; P = .02). The poststent implant median duration was significantly shorter in ACS lesions than in CCS lesions (13 [IQR 5-26 days] vs. 40 [IQR 16-233 days]; P < .01). The endothelial coverage percentage was 3.5% at 30 days and 27.7% at 90 days after currently available DES implantation. Multivariable logistic regression analysis implicated implant duration of ≤90 days (odds ratio [OR], 0.009; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.006-0.012; P < .01), superficial calcification (OR, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.07-0.17; P < .01), ACS culprit site (OR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.09-0.94; P = .039), and circumferentially durable polymer-coated DES (OR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.24-0.41; P < .01) as delayed endothelial coverage predictors. CONCLUSIONS: Endothelial coverage was limited at 90 days after currently available DES implantation, and the ACS culprit site and circumferentially durable polymer-coated DES were identified as independent predictors of delayed endothelial coverage. Our findings suggest the importance of underlying plaque morphology and stent technology for vessel healing after such implantation.

Two-Year Clinical Outcome of MitraClip Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair From the J-MITRA Registry Data.

BACKGROUND: The introduction of transcatheter edge-to-edge repair for moderate-to-severe or severe mitral regurgitation (MR) utilizing the MitraClip system became reimbursed and clinically accessible in Japan in April 2018. This study presents the 2-year clinical outcomes of all consecutively treated patients who underwent MitraClip implantation in Japan and were prospectively enrolled in the Japanese Circulation Society-oriented J-MITRA registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: Analysis encompassed 2,739 consecutive patients enrolled in the J-MITRA registry with informed consent (mean age: 78.3±9.6 years, 1,550 males, STS risk score 11.7±8.9), comprising 1,999 cases of functional MR, 644 of degenerative MR and 96 in a mixed group (DMR and FMR). The acute procedure success rate was 88.9%. After MitraClip implantation, >80% exhibited an MR grade ≤2+ and the trend was sustained over the 2 years. Within this observation period, the mortality rate was 19.3% and the rate of heart failure readmissions was 20.6%. The primary composite endpoint, inclusive of cardiovascular death and heart failure readmission, was significantly higher in patients with functional MR than in with degenerative MR (32.0% vs. 17.5%, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The 2-year clinical outcomes after MitraClip implantation were deduced from comprehensive data within an all-Japan registry.

Comparative Data of Procedural and Midterm Outcomes in Patients Who Underwent Percutaneous Left Atrial Appendage Closure Between the WATCHMAN FLX and WATCHMAN 2.5 Devices　- Insight From the OCEAN-LAAC Registry.

BACKGROUND: Limited data are available regarding clinical outcomes after percutaneous left atrial appendage closure using WATCHMAN FLX (WM-FLX) and WATCHMAN-2.5 (WM2.5) devices in Asian patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data of 1,464 consecutive patients (WM-FLX, n=909; WM2.5, n=555) were extracted from a Japanese multicenter registry, and clinical data were compared between the 2 groups. No in-hospital deaths, periprocedural stroke, or device embolization occurred. Procedural success was significantly higher in the WM-FLX than WM2.5 group (95.8% vs. 91.9%; P=0.002) owing to the lower incidence of periprocedural pericardial effusion (0.55% vs. 1.8%; P=0.021). No significant differences in all-cause death, postprocedural stroke, and device-related thrombus were observed between the 2 groups. However, the cumulative bleeding rate at 1 year was substantially lower in the WM-FLX group (7.8% vs. 16.4%; P<0.001). Landmark analysis of bleeding events highlighted lower bleeding rates in the WM-FLX than WM2.5 group within the first 6 months (6.4% vs. 14.8%; P<0.001), with comparable bleeding rates over the 6- to 12-month period (1.5% vs. 3.2%, respectively; P=0.065). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated higher early safety and lower 1-year bleeding rates in the WM-FLX than WM2.5 group. The lower bleeding events with WM-FLX are likely due to multiple factors other than purely difference in devices, such as postprocedural drug regimen.

Clinical efficacy of tolvaptan in acute decompensated heart failure patients with severe aortic stenosis and atrial fibrillation: a sub-analysis from the LOHAS registry.

BACKGROUND: Severe aortic valve stenosis (AS) and atrial fibrillation (AF) are risk factors of hemodynamic instability in heart failure (HF) management due to low cardiac output, respectively. Therefore, the treatment of HF due to severe AS complicated with AF is anticipated to be difficult. Tolvaptan, a vasopressin V2 receptor inhibitor, is effective in controlling acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) with hemodynamic stability. However, its clinical efficacy against ADHF caused by AS with AF remains to be determined. METHODS: Clinical information (from September 2014 to December 2017) of 59 patients diagnosed with ADHF due to severe AS (20 patients with AF; 39 patients with sinus rhythm [SR]) was obtained from the LOHAS registry. The registry collected data from seven hospitals and assessed the short-term effects of tolvaptan in patients hospitalized for ADHF with severe AS. We attempted to identify clinical differences from baseline up to 4 days, comparing patients with AF (AF group) versus those with SR (SR group). RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the groups in age (83.7 ± 4.5 vs. 85.8 ± 6.9 years, respectively; p = 0.11) and aortic valve area (0.60 [0.46-0.73] vs. 0.56 [0.37-0.70] cm2, respectively; p = 0.50). However, left atrial volume was larger (104 [85-126] vs. 87 [64-103] mL, respectively; p < 0.01), whereas stroke volume was lower (51.6 ± 14.8 vs. 59.0 ± 18.7 mL, respectively; p = 0.08) in the AF group versus the SR group. Body weight decreased daily from baseline up to day 4 in both groups (from 55.4 to 53.2 kg [p < 0.01] and from 53.5 to 51.0 kg [p < 0.01], respectively) without change in heart rate. Notably, the systolic blood pressure decreased slightly in the AF group after 2 days of treatment with tolvaptan. CONCLUSIONS: Short-term treatment with tolvaptan improved HF in patients hospitalized for severe AS, regardless of the presence of AF or SR. After achieving sufficient diuresis, a slight decrease in blood pressure was observed in the AF group, suggesting an appropriate timeframe for safe and effective use of tolvaptan.

Prosthesis-patient mismatch after transcatheter implantation of contemporary balloon-expandable and self-expandable valves in small aortic annuli.

BACKGROUND: Evidence of clinical impact of PPM after TAVI is conflicting and might vary according to the type of valve implanted. AIMS: To assess the clinical impact of prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) with balloon-expandable (BEV) and self-expandable valves (SEV) in patients with small annuli. METHODS: TAVI-SMALL 2 enrolled 628 patients in an international retrospective registry, which included patients with severe aortic stenosis and small annuli (annular perimeter <72 mm or area <400 mm2 ) treated with transfemoral TAVI at 16 high-volume centers between 2011 and 2020. Analyses were performed comparing patients with less than moderate (n = 452), moderate (n = 138), and severe PPM (n = 38). Primary endpoint was incidence of all-cause mortality. Predictors of all-cause mortality and PPM were investigated. RESULTS: At a median follow-up of 380 days (interquartile range: 210-709 days), patients with severe PPM, but not moderate PPM, had an increased risk of all-cause mortality when compared with less than moderate PPM (log-rank p = 0.046). Severe PPM predicted all-cause mortality in patients with BEV (hazard ratio [HR]: 5.20, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.27-21.2) and intra-annular valves (IAVs, HR: 4.23, 95% CI: 1.28-14.02), and it did so with borderline significance in the overall population (HR: 2.89, 95% CI: 0.95-8.79). Supra-annular valve (SAV) implantation was the only predictor of severe PPM (odds ratio: 0.33, 95% CI: 0.13-0.83). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with small aortic annuli and severe PPM after TAVI have an increased risk of all-cause mortality at early term follow-up, especially after IAV or BEV implantation. TAVI with SAV protected from severe PPM.

Mechanisms and implications of mitral regurgitation in patients with severe aortic stenosis who received transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms and clinical implications of mitral regurgitation (MR) in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) who received transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). METHODS: We conducted retrospective echocardiographic analyses at baseline and 6 months after TAVR in 140 patients with symptomatic AS (85 ± 5 years) who underwent TAVR. We defined significant MR as ≥ moderate based on evaluation of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). RESULTS: There were 48 patients (34%) with preexisting MR at the baseline. Among measured TTE parameters, end-systolic wall stress (ESWS), mitral annulus area, and mitral valve thickening index were independent factors associated with preexisting MR (odds ratio [OR]: 1.013, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.005-1.021; OR: 1.740, 95% CI: 1.314-2.376; OR: 2.306, 95% CI: 1.426-3.848; respectively). Six months after TAVR, there were 34 patients with post-existing MR, A history of atrial fibrillation and ESWS after TAVR were independent factors (OR: 3.013, 95% CI: 1.208-7.556; OR: 1.013, 95% CI: 1.000-1.023; respectively). The Kaplan-Meier plot indicated that preexisting MR was a risk factor for heart failure-related events within 1 year of discharge after TAVR (p = .012). CONCLUSIONS: In patients who underwent TAVR for severe AS, preexisting MR was associated with having a thickened mitral valve and large mitral annulus size induced by high ESWS. These patients may have worse prognosis after TAVR and should be closely monitored in the long term.

Edoxaban vs. Vitamin K Antagonist for Atrial Fibrillation After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Japanese Patients　- A Subanalysis of the ENVISAGE-TAVI AF Trial.

BACKGROUND: Japanese patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) are often female and have a small body size, potentially impacting bleeding risk with antithrombotic therapy. Outcomes of direct oral anticoagulant use in these patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) need to be clarified.Methods and Results: This prespecified analysis included Japanese patients from ENVISAGE-TAVI AF, a prospective, randomized, open-label, adjudicator-masked trial that compared treatment with edoxaban and vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) in patients with AF after TAVR. The primary efficacy and safety outcomes were net adverse clinical events (NACE; composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, systemic embolic event, valve thrombosis, and International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis [ISTH]-defined major bleeding) and ISTH-defined major bleeding, respectively. Intention-to-treat (ITT) and on-treatment analyses were performed. Overall, 159 Japanese patients were enrolled (edoxaban group: 82, VKA group: 77) and followed for on average 483 days. Mean patient age was 83.8 years; 52.2% were female. In the ITT analysis, NACE rates were 10.9%/year with edoxaban and 12.5%/year with VKA (hazard ratio [HR], 0.85; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.38-1.90); major bleeding occurred in 8.9%/year and 7.3%/year, respectively (HR, 1.17; 95% CI, 0.45-3.05). In edoxaban- and VKA-treated patients, rates of ischemic stroke were 1.8%/year and 1.0%/year, respectively; fatal bleeding rates were 0.9%/year and 2.0 %/year. On-treatment results were similar to ITT. CONCLUSIONS: In Japanese patients with AF after successful TAVR, edoxaban and VKA treatment have similar safety and efficacy profiles.

Impact of tolvaptan on improvement of tricuspid regurgitation and right ventricular dimension in patients with right-sided heart failure.

Managing right-sided chronic heart failure (CHF) due to tricuspid regurgitation (TR) remains a clinical challenge. Tolvaptan (TLV), a vasopressin V2 receptor inhibitor, is effective in controlling decompensated HF. However, its effects on right-sided CHF caused by TR are unclear. We sought to clarify the effects of TLV in CHF patients complicated with TR. The cohort consisted of 33 CHF patients with moderate or severe TR and permanent atrial fibrillation, who required hospitalization for HF. We observed 19 patients treated with TLV plus conventional therapies (TLV group) and 14 patients with conventional therapies alone (conventional group). Clinical characteristics, echocardiographic parameters, and laboratory data were investigated. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. In the TLV group, the severity of TR at admission was 73.7% moderate and 26.3% severe. In the conventional group, these percentages were 85.7% and 14.3%, respectively. During the follow-up, the severity of TR improved in the TLV group (trivial-mild: 52.6%; moderate: 36.8%; severe: 10.5%) (p < 0.01). However, it did not improve in the conventional group (trivial-mild: 21.4%; moderate: 50.0%; severe: 28.6%) (p = 0.08). The diameter of the tricuspid annulus (p < 0.01), basal (p = 0.02), and mid right ventricle (p = 0.04) was reduced at follow-up in the TLV group. Nevertheless, these parameters did not change in the conventional group. Serum creatinine levels were maintained (p = 0.74) in the TLV group, but deteriorated in the conventional group (p = 0.03). TLV reduced right ventricular dimensions and improved TR without deterioration of renal function. Thus, TLV may be a new drug for the treatment of CHF patients with TR.

Optimizing self-expandable transcatheter heart valve sizing in patients with small sinus of Valsalva.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in patients with small sinus of Valsalva (SOV). BACKGROUND: Patients with small SOV are considered unfavorable for TAVR since it carries risk of coronary obstruction after valve implantation. Therefore, these patients with small SOV were excluded from previous clinical trials. METHODS: Between February 2017 and February 2019, a total of 139 consecutive patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) undergoing TAVR were prospectively enrolled in the Tokai Valve Registry. Patients with small SOV who were treated with smaller size of self-expandable transcatheter heart valve (THV) than expected by perimeter-based sizing were included in this study. Eleven patients (7.9%) were included. RESULTS: Mean age was 86.5 ± 3.8 years and median STS Score was 8.5% (interquartile range: 6.3-12.3%). Device success was accomplished in all patients and no coronary obstruction was observed. No moderate/severe paravalvular leakage, new onset conduction disturbance, and new permanent pacemaker implantation were noted. At 30-day follow-up, mean aortic valve gradient was 6.9 ± 1.7 mmHg and mean indexed aortic valve area was 0.95 ± 0.16 cm2 /m2 . Prosthetic valve performance was stable at 12-month follow-up. No severe prosthesis patient mismatch was documented at any time point. No in-hospital, 30-day, and 12-month mortality were observed. The median follow-up was 711 days (IQR: 547-803 days), and no patient was lost to follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary experience suggests favorable safety and efficacy of TAVR utilizing self-expandable THV with intentional down-sizing in patients with severe AS and small SOV in a mid-term follow-up.

Impact of diabetes mellitus on outcome after transcatheter aortic valve replacement: Identifying high-risk diabetic population from the OCEAN-TAVI registry.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the vulnerable diabetic cohort in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). BACKGROUNDS: Considerable controversy remains about whether specific cohort exists in which presence of diabetes mellitus (DM) carries adverse risk of mortality after TAVR. METHODS: Of the 2588 patients who were enrolled in the OCEAN-TAVI registry, 2526 patients with glycohemoglobin data were analyzed. The individuals were divided into DM and non-DM groups according to previous medical history of DM or using diabetic medicine, and increased HbA1c values (≥6.5%) at baseline. The primary endpoint of this study was 2-year all-cause mortality after TAVR. RESULTS: The follow up rate of clinical outcome at 1-year was 2514/2526 (99.5%) and median follow-up period was 22.5 months. DM group had 699 (27.7%) patients, in which 153 (21.9%) was diagnosed by increased HbA1c levels without previous medical history of DM. Kaplan-Meier curve of 2-year all-cause mortality presented significant difference between patients with and without DM (p = 0.029). In addition, patients with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels > 100 mg/dl and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 40% had great risk of mortality after TAVR (LDL-C: hazard ratio [HR] 1.82, p < 0.001; LVEF: HR 2.61, p = 0.002, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Presence of DM was significantly associated with poor outcome after TAVR and adverse effect of DM was remarkable in patients with relatively higher LDL-C levels and reduced LVEF under 40%. These subtypes may need intensive control of cardiovascular risk factors, including DM, before and after TAVR.

Effect of high-dose strong statin for preventing periprocedural ischemic complications of carotid artery stenting.

Statin therapy has been shown to induce carotid atherosclerotic plaque regression and reduce the periprocedural ischemic complications of carotid artery stenting (CAS). This study assessed the safety and usefulness of pretreatment using a high-dose strong statin (HDSS) to reduce the periprocedural ischemic complications of CAS. We analyzed 117 carotid lesions treated by CAS that were evaluated with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) within 48 h after the procedure. For 67 lesions, an HDSS (rosuvastatin 20 mg or atorvastatin 40 mg daily) were prescribed from at least 14 days before CAS to at least 14 days after procedure (HDSS group). Clinical and angiographic data, as well as in-hospital outcomes, of the HDSS group were retrospectively compared with 50 lesions with conventional treatment without an HDSS (non-HDSS group). There were no significant differences in the baseline clinical and procedural characteristics between the two groups. There was no side effect related to the HDSS. Stroke rates were similar between the two groups (3.0% in HDSS group vs 8.0% in non-HDSS group, p = 0.22). All were minor strokes. Compared to the non-HDSS group, the HDSS group had a lower frequency of new lesions on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with MRI (25.4% vs 44.0%, p = 0.0345). New ipsilateral DWI-positive rate in the HDSS group was significantly lower than in the non-HDSS group (16.4% vs 34.0%, p = 0.0275). Nonipsilateral (contralateral or posterior circulation) DWI-positive rates were similar between the two groups (13.4% vs 20.0%, p = 0.34). Pretreatment with an HDSS might reduce the periprocedural ischemic complications of CAS.

Transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect protects from pulmonary edema: septal occluder device gradually reduces LR shunt.

A 56-year-old woman was diagnosed as atrial septal defect (ASD) with pulmonary hypertension; pulmonary blood flow/systemic blood flow (Qp/Qs) of 2.3, pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) of 71/23(39) mmHg and diastolic dysfunction of left ventricle. PAP was improved after medical therapy; therefore, transcatheter ASD closure was performed. Seven days later, left-sided heart failure occurred, however, the improvement of Qp/Qs (1.7) and PAP of 51/21(32) was confirmed. Diuretic therapy was introduced which led to further decrease of PAP 40/12(25) and Qp/Qs (1.1). Because of gradual decrease of Qp/Qs, this patient appeared to be protected from acute pulmonary edema.

Anatomical features and management of bioresorbable vascular scaffolds failure: A case series from the GHOST registry.

The Absorb bioresorbable vascular scaffold (Absorb BVS, Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, California) promises to address some of the residual shortcomings of existing metallic stents, such as late events induced by permanent caging of the coronary vessel. Scaffold restenosis (ScR) of BVS has been poorly described so far and treatment strategies for this event remain to be codified. We report on a case series of 14 lesions in 12 patients presenting with ScR and discuss their anatomical features and management strategies. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Gender-related clinical and echocardiographic outcomes at 30-day and 12-month follow up after MitraClip implantation in the GRASP registry.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the influence of patients' gender on the outcomes of percutaneous edge-to-edge mitral valve repair (PMVR) using the MitraClip system. BACKGROUND: Although gender-related differences have been extensively documented in patients who undergo surgery for moderate-to-severe (3+) and severe (4+) mitral regurgitation (MR), studies assessing whether these differences exist after PMVR are lacking. METHODS: Clinical and echocardiographic data through 12-month follow up from 171 consecutive patients whom underwent MitraClip implantation and were dichotomized by the gender (106 males and 65 females) were obtained. The primary safety endpoint was the incidence of major adverse events at 30 days and the primary efficacy endpoint was freedom from death, surgery for mitral valve dysfunction, or grade≥3+ MR at 12-month follow up. RESULTS: The primary safety endpoint was observed in four males (3.8%) and four females (6.2%) (P=0.358). Remarkable reduction in MR postprocedure was revealed in both groups, and these results were mostly sustained. Furthermore, left ventricle reverse remodeling and New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class improvement were revealed in both groups, but females tended to demonstrate worse results over time (P=0.083). The primary efficacy endpoint obtained by Kaplan-Meier estimates was observed in 76.3 and 70.2%, respectively (log rank P=0.231). CONCLUSIONS: MitraClip implantation in patients with 3+ and 4+ MR is safe and efficacious until mid-term follow up, regardless of patients' gender. Despite improvement in NYHA functional class in both groups, female gender demonstrated a trend toward poorer results. Further validation of our findings is warranted.

New insights on acute expansion and longitudinal elongation of bioresorbable vascular scaffolds in vivo and at bench test: a note of caution on reliance to compliance charts and nominal length.

OBJECTIVES: We performed systematic optical coherence tomography (OCT) analyses after bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BVS) implantation in a "real world" setting aiming at evaluating scaffold expansion and longitudinal integrity. BACKGROUND: a comprehensive elucidation of BVS acute performance in the "real-world" setting is lacking. METHODS: acute BVS expansion compared with compliance chart information and longitudinal integrity were assessed in 29 patients (32 lesions) by OCT. In addition, bench experiments with four scaffolds were performed with different combinations of deployment pressures and tube stiffness. RESULTS: scaffold underexpansion, using compliance chart information as reference, was observed in 97% of OCT cross-sections in vivo; however, only 8.3% of the cross-section analyzed revealed BVS area <5 mm(2) . Calcified plaques were more common in the lowest (9.7%) compared with the mid (8.8%) and highest (6.3%) tertiles of scaffold expansion (P = 0.003 and P = 0.001 for lowest vs. mid, and lowest vs. highest, respectively). Seventeen (54.8%) scaffolds were elongated during implantation, but no signs of scaffold fracture were revealed. Elongation and impaired expansion were reproduced in the bench testing when the scaffold was deployed with high pressure in a hard tube. CONCLUSIONS: compliance chart information should not be used to predict final BVS dimensions in the clinical setting. While BVS expansion could be potentially impaired by calcified plaques, they may elongate during deployment. Bench experiments confirmed the elongation phenomenon when BVS were deployed with high pressure in hard tubes.