Mitral Valve Intervention in Elderly or High-Risk Patients: A Review of Current Surgical and Interventional Management.

Mitral regurgitation is a prevalent valvular disease, and its management has gained increasing importance because of the aging population. Although traditional surgery remains the gold standard, the field of transcatheter therapies, including transcatheter edge-to-edge repair and, more recently transcatheter mitral valve replacement are advancing and are being explored as viable alternatives, particularly for patients at high surgical risk. It is essential to emphasize the necessity of a multidisciplinary team approach, involving specialized valve teams, imaging experts, cardiac anaesthesiologists, and other relevant specialists, is crucial in achieving optimal outcomes. Furthermore, proper execution of procedures, postprocedural care, and diligent follow-up for these patients are essential components for successful results. It is essential to underscore that traditional mitral valve surgery continues to play a significant role. Simultaneously, it is important to acknowledge the expanding array of transcatheter interventions available for this specific patient population.

ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Due to an Ectatic Infarct-Related Coronary Artery: Case Series and Review of the Literature.

Coronary artery ectasia is an infrequent finding seen in a localized or diffuse fashion in patients undergoing coronary angiogram. This angiographic entity is attributed to coronary artery atherosclerosis. The ectatic coronary artery segment may be a culprit and perpetuate the thrombus formation in patients with acute myocardial infarction due to the altered normal laminar flow and deranged platelet and endothelial activation. Besides, it may lead to slow flow/no-reflow during the percutaneous coronary intervention and constitutes a significant management challenge. In this article, we report three patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction from the culprit ectatic infarct-related artery and discuss the various management strategies.

TAVR - From inoperable to younger, lower-risk patients: A slippery slope?

Despite current valve guidelines recommending both transcatheter and surgical aortic valve replacement (TAVR and SAVR, respectively) in patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS), TAVR has recently become the preferred treatment over SAVR, driven by its minimal invasiveness, faster recovery and earlier improvement in quality of life. However, several limitations and unresolved issues remain with TAVR, including stroke, conduction system disorder, durability, bicuspid anatomy, coronary reaccess and lifetime management with aortic valve reintervention. Our review aims to highlight the above issues and discuss them in depth, to demonstrate the complementary role of TAVR and SAVR in the treatment of AS.

Is Coronary Brachytherapy Staging a Comeback for the Treatment of In-Stent Restenosis?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The catheter-based coronary intervention has become a well-established therapeutic modality for obstructive coronary artery disease. However, in-stent restenosis remains a significant limitation of coronary intervention despite the use of newer devices. Intravascular brachytherapy was introduced to treat recurrent in-stent restenosis but only modestly adopted. This review will discuss the mechanism of intracoronary brachytherapy, available clinical evidence of brachytherapy in recurrent in-stent restenosis treatment, and the future of coronary brachytherapy in coronary intervention. RECENT FINDINGS: Drug-eluting stents have an inherent limitation as they leave a permanent metal layer inside an artery when deployed. Recently, drug-coated balloon technology has emerged to treat coronary artery disease as a combination of balloon angioplasty and local drug delivery without leaving a metal layer behind. Recent European guidelines recommended using drug-coated balloons when treating in-stent restenosis treatment, while the US guidelines have not yet addressed the use of drug-coated balloons in such cases. Coronary brachytherapy is a valuable addition to treat these challenging diseases despite several logistic issues. If there are newer technologies with easier setup, such as drug-coated balloons, coronary brachytherapy resurgence is improbable in the contemporary era, although it may not become obsolete.

Application of Genetic Testing in Unveiling the Diagnosis of Fabry Disease in a Patient with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Fabry disease (FD) is a lysosomal storage disorder with an X-linked genetic pattern. It is caused by the genetic mutations in the galactosidase alpha gene on the long arm of the X-chromosome, resulting in the deficiency of the alpha-galactosidase A enzyme activity. This leads to an accumulation of globotriaosylceramide in a variety of cells, including cells in the heart. Left ventricular hypertrophy is one of the most common manifestations of FD involving the heart. Further cardiac disease progression portends significant morbidity and mortality. The early initiation of enzyme replacement therapy is associated with reversal or halting of the disease's progression and an improved clinical outcome. Here, we present the case of a 40-year-old male patient with left ventricular hypertrophy based on the results of a transthoracic echocardiogram and advanced cardiac imaging. He was later diagnosed with FD with the assistance of genetic testing. We also briefly outline the diagnostic challenges and treatment of FD.

CYP2C19 genotype-directed P2Y12 inhibitor antiplatelet therapy normalizes risk for major adverse cardiovascular events after percutaneous coronary intervention.

OBJECTIVE: To study the use of CYP2C19 genotyping to guide P2Y12 inhibitor selection to maximize efficacy, and attenuate risk in appropriate patients who underwent PCI for CAD. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 868 patients with CAD who received CYP2C19 genotyping after PCI and changed P2Y12 inhibitor based on the results. Patients were divided into two groups based on clopidogrel metabolizer status. Group I: Intermediate (IM) and poor metabolizers (PM). Group II: Ultra-rapid (UM), rapid (RM) and normal metabolizers (NM). Each group was then categorized to one of two treatment arms guided by CYP2C19 genotype. Category 1: IM/PM started on clopidogrel, switched to ticagrelor or prasugrel; 2:IM/PM started on ticagrelor/prasugrel, continued these medications; 3: UM/RM/NM started on ticagrelor/prasugrel, switched to clopidogrel; 4: UM/RM/NM started on clopidogrel, continued clopidogrel. Death due to cardiac causes, bleeding events, non-fatal MI, target vessel revascularization (TVR), and MACE in all four categories were considered at 1, 6 and 12 months. RESULTS: We did not observe significant difference between phenotypes for MACE at 1 (p = 0.274), 6 (p = 0.387), and 12 months (p = 0.083). Death due to cardiac causes, MI, and bleeding events were not significant at 1, 6, and 12 months. There was no significant difference in TVR at 6 (p = 0.491), and 12 months (p = 0.423) except at 1 month (p = 0.012). CONCLUSION: CYP2C19 genotype-based intervention can be implemented effectively and reliably to guide selection of P2Y12 inhibitor to optimize patient quality and safety when appropriate in post PCI patients.

Triple-Guidewire Technique for Treating Stent Underexpansion in Severely Calcified Coronary Artery Lesions.

Stent underexpansion, a potential complication of percutaneous coronary intervention in severely calcified and stenotic coronary arteries, may result in in-stent thrombosis and restenosis. Different balloon-based and atheroablative techniques have been proposed to reduce the risk of these complications. We describe a simple triple-guidewire technique that we used to treat stent underexpansion in 2 elderly men.

Orbital Atherectomy and Heavily Calcified Saphenous Vein Graft Intervention.

Percutaneous coronary intervention in the diseased saphenous vein graft differs significantly from that in the diseased native coronary artery. After being exposed to arterial pressures over time, vein grafts have substantially different plaque characteristics, with more inflammatory cells, more diffuse disease, and less calcification. Severe calcification of saphenous vein grafts, although uncommon, poses a high risk of stent underexpansion. Orbital atherectomy for treatment of de novo calcified coronary lesions has been associated with better outcomes at 5-year follow-up. However, there are no published data on the use of orbital atherectomy to treat severely calcified saphenous vein graft lesions. We present the case of a 77-year-old woman with non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction who underwent successful orbital atherectomy to prepare a severely calcified saphenous vein graft lesion for stent implantation.

A prospective study of contrast preservation using ultra-low contrast delivery technique versus standard automated contrast injector system in coronary procedures.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to assess the decrease in contrast media volume (CMV) with ultra-low contrast delivery technique (ULCD) developed at our institution versus the usual automated contrast injector system (ACIS) contrast delivery in coronary procedures. METHODS: We analyzed the amount of contrast given in the consecutive 204 patients of the operators who use ULCD technique versus consecutive 200 patients of the other operators who use ACIS without ULCD technique for coronary angiograms and/or percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) from May 2017 to July 2018 at our center. We calculated the mean CMV between these groups. RESULTS: We observed a significant reduction in mean CMV with ULCD technique versus standard ACIS, respectively: angiogram 24.8 ± 15.8 mL (n = 194) vs 42.3 ± 25.1 mL (n = 200) (p < 0.0001); PCI 23.5 ± 19.7 mL (n = 52) vs 48.2 ± 30.8 mL (n = 16) (p < 0.0070); angiogram with ad hoc PCI 53.4 ± 32.1 mL (n = 23) vs 89.7 ± 35.6 mL (n = 16) (p < 0.0024); and overall angiogram and PCI 27.4 ± 20.5 mL (n = 204) vs 44.9 ± 28.0 mL (n = 181) (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Our study showed a highly significant reduction in CMV using ULCD technique compared to standard ACIS contrast delivery in coronary invasive procedures. Even in the standard ACIS arm, CMV was significantly lower than values reported in literature, possibly due to operators' bias toward contrast preservation.

A Brief Review of Left Ventricular Assist Devices and Their Management.

The number of people older than 65 will double by 2060, and with it, the number of people suffering from heart failure will also surge. In the United States, it is estimated that there are close to 250,000-500,000 endstage/ advanced heart failure cases. Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) is an evolving advanced therapy for end-stage heart failure. MCS can be an interim measure along with acute mechanical circulatory support measures including but not limited to the intra-aortic balloon pump, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or temporary ventricular assist devices such as Impella, or MCS can be a more prolonged and ambulatory measure in conjunction with an implantable, durable left ventricular assist device (LVAD). As the technology of LVADs advances, the complication rate is decreasing, and the living LVAD patient population is expanding. This indicates that the probability of a non-heart failure specialist encountering these patients is also on the rise. In this article, we aim to expand the familiarity and basic knowledge of non-heart failure specialists by detailing the concepts and complications of LVADs, enabling them to more comfortably manage these patients.

Outcomes and Safety of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation With and Without Routine Use of Transesophageal Echocardiography.

Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) has been extensively used historically for Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) but focus is shifting from routine use of TEE and general anesthesia to "as needed" use. We evaluated patients who had TAVI in our institution from September 2012 to February 2017. Decision for implantation and use of TEE during procedure was made by the structural heart team on a case-to-case basis, based on FDA approved indications. Data including procedural details, length of stay and rehospitalizations were obtained from all patients. TAVI was performed on 178 patients during the study period of which 104 of 178 had TEE during TAVI. Baseline characteristics were fairly comparable in both groups. Similar proportion of self-expanding and balloon expanding valves were deployed. Patients in TEE group had longer overall procedure time (107 minute vs 83 minute, p = 0.0002) and longer length of stay (5.01days vs 2.49days, p < 0.0001). Echocardiographic study postprocedure showed similar incidence of paravalvular leak and similar gradients and velocities across aortic valve. Rates of 30-day readmissions were similar in both groups. In conclusion, in this single-center retrospective analysis-TAVI without the 'routine use' of TEE was comparable with those done with TEE guidance in terms of periprocedural complications and 30-day readmissions. Overall procedure length and length of stay was predictably higher in the TEE group.

Refractory Hepatic Hydrothorax in the Absence of Ascites as a First Sign of Cirrhosis.

Hepatic hydrothorax (HH) occurs in 5-10 percent of patients with cirrhosis and usually develops in conjunction with ascites. We report a case of refractory right sided pleural effusion which turned out to be HH in the absence of ascites or previous history of cirrhosis. HH is thought to occur in isolation due to the superior absorptive capacity of the peritoneum as compared to the pleura. Diagnosis is usually clinical but can be confirmed by scintigraphic studies. The treatment is similar to that for ascites with transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) being the most effective but it is associated with high rate of complications.

Role of Invasive Functional Assessment in Surgical Revascularization of Coronary Artery Disease.

In patients with stable coronary artery disease, percutaneous coronary intervention is associated with improved outcomes if the lesion is deemed significant by invasive functional assessment using fractional flow reserve. Recent studies have shown that a revascularization strategy using instantaneous wave-free ratio is noninferior to fractional flow reserve in patients with intermediate-grade stenoses. The decision to perform coronary artery bypass grafting surgery is usually based on anatomic assessment of stenosis severity by coronary angiography. The data on the role of invasive functional assessment in guiding surgical revascularization are limited. In this review, we discuss the diagnostic and prognostic significance of invasive functional assessment in patients considered for coronary artery bypass grafting. In addition, we critically discuss ongoing and future clinical trials on the role of invasive functional assessment in surgical revascularization.

Prosthetic Aortic Valve Endocarditis Following Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

Infective endocarditis after transcatheter aortic valve implantation is a life-threating complication, resulting in high in-hospital and one-year mortality. With the ongoing evolution of transcatheter aortic interventions, the proportion of endocarditis cases encountered by health care providers will continue to rise. Early diagnosis of infective endocarditis is of paramount importance to institute appropriate treatment with antibiotics and/or surgery to avoid negative clinical outcomes. In this review, we outline our experience with two cases of infective endocarditis following transcatheter aortic valve implantation and briefly review the literature on the incidence, microbiology, diagnosis, and management of this condition.

A Fish Mouth Appearing Perforation of the Native Aortic Valve Due to Streptococcus infantarius subspecies coli.

Infective endocarditis due to Streptococcus infantarius with the subspecies (subsp.) coli is infrequently encountered in healthy humans. This entity is associated with hepatobiliary malignancies and colorectal neoplasia. Here, we report on a unique case of endocarditis associated with S. infantarius subsp. coli in an 80-year-old male with no known risk factors of the infective endocarditis.