Jetstream atherectomy and balloon angioplasty with distal embolic protection for Angio-Seal related vascular access complications.

Arteriotomy closure devices (ACDs) are routinely used for vascular closure during invasive cardiovascular procedures. They decrease time to hemostasis as well as length of stay. Major complications such as arterial ischemia and occlusion can be encountered in a minority of patients. We are describing a series of 3 patients with access site closure using Angio-Seal after coronary angiography who developed intermittent claudication within 2-3 weeks of follow-up. Access site thrombosis/stenosis in the CFA was found in all the three cases. They were successfully revascularized using Jetstream atherectomy with embolic protection filter followed by balloon angioplasty. This technique can treat extensive thrombus burden as well as extract the collagen and foot plate of Angio-Seal through atherectomy with cutting blades and thrombectomy via rheolytic macerating aspiration port. All cases had excellent angiographic and clinical results.

Impact of Tricuspid Valve Regurgitation on Early Outcomes after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: Tricuspid valve regurgitation (TR) is often not taken into consideration in the prognostication of patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Accordingly, its impact on such patients remains relatively poorly defined. The study aim was to explore the effect of TR and parameters of right ventricular (RV) function on outcomes in patients undergoing TAVR. METHODS: Baseline demographic and echocardiographic data were collected for 460 consecutive patients undergoing TAVR at the authors' institution between 2012 and 2015. A retrospective analysis was performed to determine the association of TR with all-cause mortality in these patients. The primary endpoint was 30-day rate of all-cause mortality and/or hospital re-admission. RESULTS: Among 460 patients included in the study analysis there were 25 deaths and 40 re-admissions. Univariate analysis showed that a higher Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) score, severe preoperative mitral and tricuspid regurgitation were associated with statistically significant higher 30-day mortality and/or re-admission rates. On multivariate analysis, STS score (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.012-1.126), moderate TR (OR 3.24, 95% CI 1.52-6.87) and severe TR (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.04-6.04) were identified as significant independent predictors of all-cause mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The severity of TR is a strong independent parameter predictive of death at 30 days. Therefore, parameters of RV function such as TR should be incorporated into predictive models for patients undergoing TAVR.

Poorly recognized age-related downward deviation of the inguinal ligament.

OBJECTIVE: To determine factors affecting actual inguinal ligament course in live human subjects. INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Although the expected inguinal ligament course is supposedly a straight line extending from anterior superior iliac spine to pubic tubercle, the actual inguinal ligament course is frequently depicted a priori by a downward bowing dotted line. There are no studies in a live subject supporting this assumption. We hypothesized this assumption is indeed valid and is related to among other factors a lifelong effect of gravity and lax abdominal musculature on the inguinal ligament course. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 54 consecutive computed tomography scans of the abdomen and pelvis randomly distributed across all age groups. Actual inguinal ligament course was visualized by reconstructing images using Terracon software. Vertical distance from the lowest point of actual inguinal ligament course to the expected inguinal ligament course was measured. We used multiple linear regression analysis to study the correlation between degree of inguinal ligament deviation and several variables. RESULTS: Actual inguinal ligament course was below the expected inguinal ligament course in 52 of 54 patients. The mean deviation was 8.2 ± 5.9 mm. Advanced age was significantly associated with greater downward bowing of the inguinal ligament (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Actual inguinal ligament course is often well below the expected inguinal ligament course; this downward bowing of the inguinal ligament is especially pronounced with advancing age. Operators need to be mindful as this downward bowing can lead to supra-inguinal sticks causing vascular complications.

Totally Percutaneous Insertion and Removal of Impella Device Using Axillary Artery in the Setting of Advanced Peripheral Artery Disease.

Traditionally, brachial and common femoral arteries have served as access sites of choice, with many operators recently converting to radial artery access for coronary angiography and percutaneous intervention due to literature suggesting reduced bleeding risk, better patient outcomes, and lower hospital-associated costs. However, radial access has limitations when percutaneous procedures requiring larger sheath sizes are performed. Six Fr sheaths are considered the limit for safe use with the radial artery given that the typical luminal diameter of the vessel is approximately 2 mm, while peripheral artery disease (PAD) may often limit use of the common femoral artery, particularly in patients with multiple co-morbid risk factors. Similarly, the brachial artery has fallen out of favor due to both thrombotic and bleeding risks, while also not safely and reliably accommodating sheaths larger than 7 Fr. Here we describe 3 cases of a new entirely percutaneous technique utilizing the axillary artery for delivery of Impella 2.5 (13.5 Fr) and CP (14 Fr) cardiac-assist devices for protected percutaneous coronary intervention in the setting of prohibitive PAD.

Utility of carotid duplex ultrasonography in a general inner-city hospital.

BACKGROUND: Carotid Duplex Ultrasonography (CDUS) is one of the non-invasive imaging modalities used to evaluate for carotid artery stenosis. However, it is often used in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), peripheral artery disease (PAD), before heart surgery, syncope and non-specific neurological symptoms although its value is unclear. Our study aimed to further investigate the yield of CDUS in these conditions. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 827 consecutive carotid ultrasounds ordered between March 2013 and August 2013 at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. Clinical characteristics such as age, sex, smoking status, systemic hypertension, diabetes mellitus, CAD, PAD, carotid bruit and indications for carotid ultrasound were included. Significant cerebrovascular disease (sCBVD) was defined as greater than or equal to 50% diameter reduction in internal carotid arteries (ICA) or any degree of occlusion in vertebrobasilar system. RESULTS: Only 88 out of 827 (10.6%) patients had sCBVD. Using logistic regression analysis we identified age greater than 65 years (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.2 to 3.7; P=0.006), carotid bruit (OR 7.8, 95% CI 3.6 to 16.6; P <0.001) and history of prior carotid endarterectomy or carotid artery stenting (OR 5.8, 95% CI 2.3 to 14.8; P <0.001) as significant predictors of sCBVD. CONCLUSIONS: Significant carotid artery stenosis is more likely in patients 65 years and older, presence of carotid bruit and prior CEA. On the other hand, it has low diagnostic yield in less than 65-year-old individuals, syncope and non-focal neurological symptoms. This highlights the need for better risk prediction models in order to promote optimal utilization.