Applicability of J-CTO channel score to predict microcatheter tracking during retrograde percutaneous coronary intervention of chronic total occlusions: Insights from the SURFING MICRO registry.

BACKGROUND: The J-chronic total occlusion (CTO) channel score can predict guidewire tracking of the collateral channels (CCs), but its efficacy in predicting microcatheter tracking has never been tested in the setting of retrograde CTO-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). AIMS: Predicting microcatheter collateral tracking during retrograde CTO-PCIs. METHODS: A total of 189 patients undergoing retrograde CTO-PCI from April 2017 to August 2021 were screened. The primary outcome of interest was a correlation between J-CTO channel score and microcatheter tracking failure (MTF) after successful CC tracking by the guidewire. The independent association between anatomical features of the J-CTO channel score and the primary outcome of interest was explored. RESULTS: After adjustment, only small size (adjusted OR: 12.70, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.79-89.82; p = 0.01) and continuous bends (adjusted OR: 14.15, 95% CI: 2.77-72.34; p < 0.001) remained significantly associated with an increased risk of MTF for septal collaterals. The small size was the only predictor of the MTF for epicardial collaterals (OR: 6.39, 95% CI: 1.13-35.96; p = 0.020) at univariate analysis. Patients in the MTF group had a lower incidence of procedural success compared with patients in the microcatheter tracking success (MTS) group (40.0% vs. 93.9%, p < 0.001) and had a higher incidence of collateral perforations (20.0% vs. 3.0%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Small and tortuous septal collaterals, identified by a score ≥3, are associated with an increased risk of MTF, lower incidence of procedural success, and higher risk of procedural complications driven by collateral perforations.

Clinical Outcomes of Percutaneous Left-Atrial Appendage Occlusion with Conscious Sedation without an Anesthesiologist on Site: Results from a Multicenter Study.

Background and Objectives: Percutaneous left-atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion is an important therapeutic option for preventing cardioembolic stroke in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) at high risk of thromboembolic events and with contraindications for oral anticoagulation (OAC). It is usually performed with transesophageal echocardiography (TOE) guidance under general anesthesia (GA). In this retrospective study, we present a multicenter experience of LAA occlusion performed with conscious sedation (CS) without an anesthesiologist on site. Materials and Methods: All the patients on the waiting list for LAA occlusion procedure at Infermi Hospital, Rivoli, and San Luigi Gonzaga University Hospital, Orbassano, from October 2018 to October 2022 were analyzed. All the procedures were performed with a Watchman/FLX LAA closure device under TOE and fluoroscopic guidance without an anesthesiologist on site. CS was performed with a combination of midazolam and fentanyl as needed. Results: One-hundred fifteen patients were included (age 76.4 ± 7.6 years, median CHA2DS2Vasc 4.4 ± 1.4). CS was performed using midazolam (mean dose 5.9 ± 2.1 mg), adding fentanyl for thirty-nine (33.9%) patients in case of poor tolerance for the procedure despite midazolam. The acute procedural success rate was 99.1%. We observed seven acute severe complications. No patients needed anesthesiological assistance during the procedure, and no cases of respiratory failure necessitating ventilation were reported. In a follow-up after 10 ± 9 months, one case of stroke (0.9%) and one case (0.9%) of transient ischemic attack (TIA) occurred. Conclusions: LAA occlusion performed under CS and without the presence of an anesthesiologist on site appears to be safe and effective. It can be an attractive alternative to general anesthesia (GA), as fewer resources are required.

Grade 3 coronary artery perforations in chronic total occlusion-percutaneous coronary intervention: Mechanisms, locations, and outcomes from the G3CAP Registry.

AIM: The impact of Grade III coronary perforations (G3-CP) in the setting of CTO-PCI is not well assessed. METHODS AND RESULTS: We reviewed 7773 CTO-PCI and 98,819 non CTO-PCI performed in 10 European centers: G3 perforation occurred in 87 patients (1.1%) during CTO PCI and 224 patients (0.22%) during non CTO-PCI (p < 0.001). G3-CP involved the CTO segment in 68% of patients and the retrograde channels in 14% of cases. In the CTO PCI group, wire induced G3-CP (50.5% vs. 32.5%, p = 0.02) occurred predominantly when dedicated CTO tapered and highly penetrative wires were used. Intra-procedural and in-hospital death rates were 4.6% vs. 5.8% and 3.6% vs. 7.5% respectively for CTO PCI and non-CTO PCI groups (p = NS). At a median follow up of 24 months, the overall mortality and MAE were respectively 7.8% and MAE 19% without difference among groups. CONCLUSIONS: We showed similar in-hospital and long-term outcomes when G3 perforations occurred during CTO PCI and non CTO-PCI.

Characteristics and outcomes of elderly patients undergoing carotid stenting: Experience of a high-volume interventional cardiology center.

BACKGROUND: Carotid artery stenting (CAS) is an attractive option in order to treat carotid artery stenosis. However, its safety in elderly patients is questioned. Aim of this single-center retrospective study was to assess data of elderly patients undergoing CAS, and to compare them with those of the younger (< 75 years). METHODS: We collected data of 580 consecutive patients undergoing CAS between December 2007 and June 2020 and compared clinical and procedural characteristics as well as in-hospital major adverse events (MACCE) and long-term mortality between patients < 75 years and patients ≥ 75 years old. RESULTS: There were 272 patients (46.9%) with age ≥ 75 years and 308 patients (53.1%) with age < 75 years. The median follow-up was 48 months (range 2-144). There was no significant difference about in-hospital MACCE between the two groups (4.7% in the older vs. 3.5% in the younger group, p = 0.9), but a higher rate of cerebral hemorrhage occurred in the older group (1.8% vs. = 0.3%, p = 0.07), even if not significant. Long-term mortality was significantly higher in the older group (27.9 vs. 20.1%, p = 0.027). Multivariate predictors of 12-months mortality were neurologic symptoms within 6 months (OR: 4.83; 95% CI: 2.04-11.42; p ≤ 0.001), smoking status (OR: 2.84; 95% CI: 1.17-6.86; p = 0.02) and age ≥ 75 years (OR: 2.78; 95% CI: 1.14-6.76; p = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS: In elderly patients, CAS can be carried out efficaciously with acceptable procedural risks, if performed by expert operators and after a correct selection by a multidisciplinary team.

Angiography-derived physiology guidance vs usual care in an All-comers PCI population treated with the healing-targeted supreme stent and Ticagrelor monotherapy: PIONEER IV trial design.

BACKGROUND: Current ESC guidelines recommend the use of intra-coronary pressure guidewires for functional assessment of intermediate-grade coronary stenoses. Angiography-derived quantitative flow ratio (QFR) is a novel method of assessing these stenoses, and guiding percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS/DESIGN: The PIONEER IV trial is a prospective, all-comers, multi-center trial, which will randomize 2,540 patients in a 1:1 ratio to PCI guided by angiography-derived physiology or usual care, with unrestricted use in both arms of the Healing-Targeted Supreme sirolimus-eluting stent (HT Supreme). The stent's fast, biologically healthy, and robust endothelial coverage allows for short dual-antiplatelet therapy (DAPT); hence the antiplatelet regimen of choice is 1-month DAPT, followed by ticagrelor monotherapy. In the angiography-derived physiology guided arm, lesions will be functionally assessed using on-line QFR, with stenting indicated in lesions with a QFR ≤0.80. Post-stenting, QFR will be repeated in the stented vessel(s), with post-dilatation or additional stenting recommended if the QFR<0.91 distal to the stent, or if the delta QFR (across the stent) is >0.05. Usual care PCI is performed according to standard clinical practice. The primary endpoint is a non-inferiority comparison of the patient-oriented composite endpoint (POCE) of all-cause death, any stroke, any myocardial infarction, or any clinically, and physiologically driven revascularization with a non-inferiority risk-difference margin of 3.2%, at 1-year post-procedure. Clinical follow-up will be up to 3 years. SUMMARY: The PIONEER IV trial aims to demonstrate non-inferiority of QFR-guided PCI to usual care PCI with respect to POCE at 1-year in patients treated with HT Supreme stents and ticagrelor monotherapy. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov UNIQUE IDENTIFIER: NCT04923191 CLASSIFICATIONS: Interventional Cardiology.

Elderly Suffering from ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction-Results from a Database Analysis from Two Mediterranean Medical Centers.

Background: Little is known regarding primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in the elderly. Methods: Data on 319 octogenarians, 641 septuagenarians, and 2451 younger patients was collected from an ongoing prospective registry of patients treated with pPCI for STEMI at two Mediterranean-area medical centers in 2009-2017. Results: More octogenarian patients were female (40.8 vs. 31.9 septuagenarians and 26.5% under 70 y, p < 0.01), had hypertension (79.5 vs. 69.5 and 45.9%, p < 0.01), renal failure (32.5 vs. 20.1 and 5.2%, p < 0.01), and a lower left-ventricular ejection fraction (42.0 vs. 44.9 and 47.6%, p = 0.012). At 1 month and 3 years after intervention, mortality was higher in the octogenarian patients (12.2 vs. 7.9%, p = 0.01; and 36.7 vs. 23.1%, p < 0.01, respectively), with no significant differences in the rates of recurrent myocardial infarction, target vessel revascularization, coronary artery bypass surgery, and cardiovascular death. Following adjustment for confounders, 3-year mortality was significantly higher in the octogenarians (HR 3.89 vs. 3.19 for septuagenarians, p < 0.01), but rates of major adverse cardiac events or cardiovascular death were not. Conclusions: Despite suffering from higher all-cause mortality, octogenarian patients treated with pPCI for STEMI do not suffer an increased risk of ischemic cardiac events relative to younger patients.

Quantitative flow ratio as a new tool for angiography-based physiological evaluation of coronary artery disease: a review.

The functional evaluation of coronary stenoses has obtained important clinical results in recent years, resulting in strong guideline recommendations. Nonetheless, the use of coronary wire-based functional evaluation has not yet become part of the routine in catheterization laboratories for several reasons, including the need to advance a wire into the coronary vessel to interrogate the stenosis. Angiography-derived indexes have been introduced to expand the current use of physiology to estimate the functional meaning of a stenosis on the basis of angiographic data only. The most studied and validated angiography-derived index is certainly the quantitative flow ratio. This article will summarize the basics of the quantitative flow ratio, the related validation studies and its current and future applications.

Lay abstract Coronary arteries are the main vessels that carry blood and oxygen to the heart muscle, ensuring its functionality. In cardiology, coronary stenoses are defined as pathological narrowing of one or more of these vessels, which can lead to a critical reduction in blood flow, ischemic problems and myocardial infarction. Currently, percutaneous coronary intervention is considered the first-line treatment of myocardial infarction. This technique consists of a procedure in which the stenosis is resolved and proper blood flow is restored thanks to balloon inflation and stent implantation through a percutaneous procedure performed under local anesthesia. Coronary angiography was, for many years, the only available tool to diagnose and assess the consequences of coronary atherosclerosis, becoming the standard reference in the study of ischemic heart disease, allowing us to routinely describe the severity of coronary stenosis or the severity of the disease based on the number of vessels affected. Subsequently, the introduction of invasive methods to assess coronary physiology allowed us to obtain a precise assessment regarding the physiological impact of stenoses located in main vessels while demonstrating the poor diagnostic performance of angiography to assess the functional impact of these stenoses. Among these coronary physiology techniques, quantitative flow ratio has recently been the object of many investigations. In contrast to invasive techniques that can be performed only by advancing a wire into the coronary artery, quantitative flow ratio allows us to perform a functional evaluation of coronary stenoses on the basis of angiographic data only. Given its potential, this work will summarize the basics of quantitative flow ratio, the main validation studies and its current and future applications in interventional cardiology.

Incidence, Management, Immediate and Long-Term Outcome of Guidewire and Device Related Grade III Coronary Perforations (from G3CAP - Cardiogroup VI Registry).

Ellis grade III coronary artery perforations (G3-CAP) remain a life-threatening complication of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), with high morbidity and mortality and lack of consensus regarding optimal treatment strategies. We reviewed all PCIs performed in 10 European centers from 1993 to 2019 recording all G3-CAP along with management strategies, in-hospital and long-term outcome according to Device-related perforations (DP) and Guidewire-related perforations (WP). Among 106,592 PCI (including 7,773 chronic total occlusions), G3-CAP occurred in 311 patients (0.29%). DP occurred in 194 cases (62.4%), more commonly in proximal segments (73.2%) and frequently secondary to balloon dilatation (66.0%). WP arose in 117 patients (37.6%) with chronic total occlusions guidewires involved in 61.3% of cases. Overall sealing success rate was 90.7% and usually required multiple maneuvers (80.4%). The most commonly adopted strategies to obtain hemostasis were prolonged balloon inflation (73.2%) with covered stent implantation (64.4%) in the DP group, and prolonged balloon inflation (53.8%) with coil embolization (41%) in the WP group.  Procedural or in-hospital events arose in 38.2% of cases: mortality was higher after DP (7.2% vs 2.6%, p = 0.05) and acute stent thrombosis 3-fold higher (3.1% vs 0.9%, p = 0.19). At clinical follow-up, median 2 years, a major cardiovascular event occurred in one-third of cases (all-cause mortality 8.2% and 7.1% respectively, without differences between groups). In conclusion, although rare and despite improved rates of adequate perforation sealing G3-CAP cause significant adverse events. DP and WP result in different patterns of G3-CAP and management strategies should be based on this classification.

Percutaneous coronary intervention of unprotected left main and bifurcation in octogenarians: Subanalysis from RAIN (veRy thin stents for patients with left mAIn or bifurcatioN in real life).

OBJECTIVE: Outcomes of complex percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) in older patients are still debated. The aim of the study was to evaluate clinical outcomes of Octogenarian patients treated with ultrathinstents on left main or on coronary bifurcations, compared with younger patients. METHODS: All consecutive patients presenting a critical lesion of an unprotected left main (ULM) or a bifurcation and treated with very thin stents were included in the RAIN (veRy thin stents for patients with left mAIn or bifurcatioN in real life) registry and divided into octogenarians group (OG, 551 patients) and nonoctogenarians (NOGs, 2,453 patients). Major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE), a composite end point of all-cause death, nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI), target lesion revascularization (TLR), and stent thrombosis (ST), was the primary endpoint, while MACE components, cardiovascular (CV) death, and target vessel revascularization (TVR) were the secondary ones. RESULTS: Indication for PCI was acute coronary syndrome in 64.7% of the OG versus 53.1% of the NOG. Severe calcifications and a diffuse disease were significantly more in OG. After a follow-up of 15.2 ± 10.3 months, MACEs were higher in the OG than in the NOG patients (OG 19.1% vs. NOG 11.2%, p < .001), along with MI (OG 6% vs. NOG 3.4%, p = .002) and all-cause death (OG 14% vs. NOG 4.3%, p < .001). In contrast, no significant difference was detected in CV-death (OG 5.1% vs. NOG 4%, p = .871), TVR/TLR, or ST. At multivariate analysis, age was not an independent predictor of MACE (OR 1.02 CI 95% 0.76-1.38), while it was for all-cause death, along with diabetes, GFR < 60 ml/min, and ULM disease. DISCUSSION: Midterm outcomes of complex PCI in OG are similar to those of younger patients. However, due to the higher non-CV death rate, accurate patient selection is mandatory.

Anatomical and functional healing after resorbable magnesium scaffold implantation in human coronary vessels: A combined optical coherence tomography and quantitative flow ratio analysis.

BACKGROUND: No data are currently available on the process of vessel healing and long-term physiological results after implantation of resorbable magnesium-made scaffold (RMS) in human coronary arteries. OBJECTIVES: To investigate after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and at 12 months follow-up (a) RMS resorption process and vessel healing, as judged by optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging; and (b) physiological result of RMS implantation evaluated by quantitative flow ratio (QFR). METHODS: All patients successfully treated with at least one RMS from July 2016 to August 2018 at 2 Italian centers were evaluated. All cases with OCT pullback and/or coronary angiography suitable for QFR analysis performed after PCI and at 12 months were included. Resorption process was analyzed at OCT in each frame reporting presence of residual struts in the vessel. RESULTS: Forty-four patients/forty-nine lesions were included. 12-months mean lumen area (LA; 7.54 ± 3.04 mm2 ) significantly decreased compared to mean LA recorded immediately after PCI (8.12 ± 1.89 mm2 ; p < .01). However, LA changes did not affect the functional result of PCI with a non-ischemic QFR value (>0.80) in 98% of cases at 12-months follow-up. Protruding struts were detectable in more than half of cases and their presence was correlated with an increase in mean LA (+0.73mm2 [95% CI 0.51-0.94], p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: RMS implantation in a real-world population lead to significant decrease in mean LA without significant functional impairment. Two different patterns of RMS resorption were recorded, whose clinical significance remains to be investigated.

One-Year OCT Follow-Up Results of Overlapping Resorbable Magnesium Scaffolds: Mind the Gap!

In this paper we are reporting an unexpected evolution after multiple Resorbable Magnesium Scaffolds (RMS) implantations in overlap.

[Partnership development between two hospitals: the integration process of Interventional Cardiology Units between the San Luigi Gonzaga University Hospital and the Local Health Unit Torino 3]. / Lo sviluppo di una partnership tra Aziende Sanitarie: l'integrazione dei laboratori di Emodinamica tra l'Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria San Luigi Gonzaga di Orbassano e l'Azienda Sanitaria Locale Torino 3.

BACKGROUND: The healthcare sector is among the most complex ones where partnerships and interdependencies between different hospitals can achieve real technical and managerial operational models aimed at optimizing resources. However, the construction of this type of interdependence is not simple to implement, making it necessary to integrate at different organizational and professional levels. The aim of this work is to present the integration process and results achieved during the first 3 years of experience after a synergic integration of the interventional cath lab units of the San Luigi Gonzaga University Hospital, Orbassano and the Infermi Hospital Local Health Unit TO 3, Rivoli. METHODS: Starting from March 2016, data concerning number and type of procedures as well as the distribution of workloads of each operator in the two cath labs were recorded and monitored. Moreover, numbers of urgent procedures performed as well as the door-to-balloon time in case of primary angioplasty were recorded. RESULTS: Compared to the first 12 months of non-integrated activity, the number of procedures remained constant with an overall trend of activity increase (total procedures: +2.6% from 2016 to 2017; +8.7% from 2017 to 2018). No statistically significant differences were found in the average door-to-balloon time, either by stratifying by period (year 2015 vs 2016 vs 2017 vs 2017 vs 2018) or by single institution. All ST-elevation myocardial infarctions were treated at the arrival site, displacing the medical availability team. The mortality rate and the number of complications were not different compared to the trend recorded in previous years. The implementation of joint programs with an exchange of expertise between operators has allowed the rapid development of skills necessary for the execution of structural heart procedures not previously performed in one of the operating centers. CONCLUSIONS: The model of an integrated cath lab unit represents an example of a partnership between two hospitals, which allows a synergistic growth of professional skills, even facing daily logistical challenges. The integration has made it possible to expand the number and type of procedures performed as well to join the on-call equipe without impacting on the door-to-balloon time in case of primary coronary angioplasty.

Safety and efficacy of polymer-free biolimus-eluting stents versus ultrathin stents in unprotected left main or coronary bifurcation: A propensity score analysis from the RAIN and CHANCE registries.

OBJECTIVES: Evaluate safety and efficacy of polymer-free biolimus-eluting stents (PF-BESs) versus ultrathin stents in unprotected left main (ULM) or bifurcation. BACKGROUND: PF-BESs due to reduced length of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) are increasingly used. However, there are limited data about safety and efficacy for ULM or bifurcation. METHODS: We selected all-patients treated for ULM or bifurcation from two multicenter real life registries (RAIN [NCT03544294] evaluating ultrathin stents, CHANCE [NCT03622203] appraising PF-BES). After propensity score with matching, the primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac events (MACE; a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, target lesion revascularization [TLR], and stent thrombosis [ST]), while its components along with target vessel revascularization (TVR) secondary endpoints. RESULTS: Three thousand and three patients treated with ultrathin stents and 446 with PF-BESs, resulting respectively in 562 and 281 after propensity score with matching (33 and 22%, respectively, with ULM disease). After 12 (8-20) months, rates of MACE were similar (9 vs. 8%, p = 0.56) without difference in TLR and ST (3.0 vs. 1.7%, p = .19 and 1.8 vs. 1.1%, p = .42). These results were consistent for ULM group (3 vs. 1.7% and 1.8 vs. 1.1%, p = .49 and .76), for non-ULM group (2.1 vs. 3.4%, p = .56 and 1.2 vs. 1.7%, p = .78) and for two-stent strategy (8.7 vs. 4.5% and 4.3 vs. 3.2%, p = .75 and .91). Among patients treated with 1 month of DAPT in both groups, those with ultrathin stents experienced higher rates of MACE related to all-cause death (22 vs. 12%, p = .04) with higher although not significant rates of ST (3 vs. 0%, p = .45). CONCLUSIONS: PF-BES implanted on ULM or BiF offered freedom from TLR and ST comparable to ultrathin stents. PF-BESs patients assuming DAPT for 1 month experienced a lower despite not significant incidence of ST.

Role of Invasive and Non-invasive Imaging Tools in the Diagnosis and Optimal Treatment of Patients with Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a serious non-atherosclerotic disease, most frequently presenting as an acute coronary syndrome and affecting female patients. Considering that diagnosis of SCAD is often elusive, and its interventional treatment is associated to a higher rate of complications than obstructive atherosclerotic disease, we aim to review all the imaging tools currently available for the optimal diagnosis and treatment of this condition. RECENT FINDINGS: The developments in both invasive and non-invasive imaging alternatives to coronary angiography, such as intravascular ultrasound, optical coherence tomography, and computed coronary angiography, have largely contributed to appraise the epidemiology of SCAD, understand its causative pathophysiological mechanisms, and improve our ability to confirm doubtful cases of SCAD. Intracoronary imaging is also a valuable in deciding the best therapeutic approach and in guiding interventions in those patients requiring percutaneous treatment. Furthermore, non-invasive imaging is a key tool in ruling out significant extracoronary vascular abnormalities which frequently occur in patients with underlying conditions like fibromuscular dysplasia who develop SCAD. Main imaging tools employed in SCAD cases could have advantages and drawbacks. Focusing on different types of SCAD, operators should be able to choose the best imaging technique for diagnosis, management, and follow-up.