STEMI patients receiving percutaneous coronary intervention for a culprit lesion with coronary artery bifurcation-efficacy and safety of the jailed semi-inflated balloon.

Background: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the 'jailed semi-inflated balloon technique' (JSIBT) for side branch (SB) protection in STEMI patients with a culprit lesion involving a coronary artery bifurcation while undergoing emergent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods: We treated between Jan, 2011 and Jun, 2020, a total of 264 STEMI patients with a culprit lesion that involved a coronary artery bifurcation using primary PCI. In 30 patients, SB was protected by JSIBT (the JSIBT group). In 234 patients, SB was either protected or not protected by a placed wire (the non-JSIBT group). Results: In both groups, after PCI procedure, TIMI flows of main vessel (MV) and SB were increased significantly compared with their measurements before the procedure. TIMI flows of post-procedural MV were similar between the two groups. In the JSIBT group, TIMI flows of SB both peri-procedure and post-procedure measurements were significantly greater than the non-JSIBT group. Despite a higher incidence of SB dissection in the JSIBT group, no inter-group difference was found in their total SB complications (like SB dissection, SB occlusion, wire entrapment or balloon rupture/entrapment). While JSIBT was an independent predictor for the SB TIMI 3 flow measured at the end of primary PCI, it was not an independent predictor for SB complications. Conclusion: The use of JSIBT as a method of SB protection during primary PCI not only provided better SB protection, but it also had a similar rate of SB complications compared with those with or without prior application of SB wire. This technique may be an effective method of protecting SB for STEMI patients involving coronary artery bifurcation and underwent emergent PCI.

Rotablation for Octogenarians in a Modern Cathlab: Short- and Intermediate-Term Results.

Background: There are limited reports on the treatment of complex calcified lesions using rotational atherectomy (RA) in octogenarians, particularly in high-risk patients. Objective: To evaluate procedural and clinical outcomes of RA in octogenarians. Methods: Consecutive RA patients from 2010 to 2018 were selected from our catheterization laboratory database, stratified into two groups (≥ or < 80 years old), and analyzed. Results: A total of 411 patients (269 males and 142 females) with a mean age of 73.8 ± 11.3 years were enrolled, of whom 153 were ≥ 80 years old and 258 were < 80 years old. Most of the patients displayed high-risk features. The baseline Syntax scores were high in both groups, and most lesions were heavily calcified (96.1% vs. 97.3%, p = 0.969, respectively). The use of hemodynamic support intra-aortic balloon pump was more frequent in the octogenarians (21.6% vs. 11.6%, p = 0.007), but the RA completion rate was similarly high (95.9% vs. 99.1%, p = 0.842). There was no difference in acute complications. The total/cardiovascular (CV) death rate within one year was higher in the octogenarians, along with higher major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE)/CV MACE rates in the first month. Cox regression analysis showed that age ≥ 80 years, acute coronary syndrome, ischemic cardiomyopathy/shock, multi-vessel disease and serum creatinine were all predictors of MACE, and that these factors plus peripheral artery disease were predictors of all-cause mortality in these patients. Conclusions: RA is feasible with a very high success rate in high-risk octogenarians with complex anatomies, and with equal safety and no increase in complications. The higher rates of all-cause death and MACE were attributed to an older age and other traditional risk factors.

A HANC Risk Stratification Score for Antiplatelet Therapy Optimization with Low-Dose Prasugrel in Taiwanese Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients from the Switch Study.

Background: A significant proportion of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients experience high on-treatment platelet reactivity (HPR) on clopidogrel-based dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Objectives: This study assessed key independent risk factors associated with significant HPR risk on clopidogrel, but not prasugrel, in the Switch Study cohort of 200 Taiwanese ACS patients who switched from clopidogrel to low-dose prasugrel for maintenance DAPT after PCI. Methods: Univariate analysis and stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis were conducted to identify key independent risk factors for HPR on clopidogrel, but not prasugrel. Results: A HANC [H: low hemoglobin (< 13 g/dL for men and < 12 g/dL for women); A: age ≥ 65 years; N: non-ST elevation myocardial infarction; C: chronic kidney disease as defined by estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 mL/min] risk stratification score was developed, and demonstrated optimal sensitivity and specificity at a cutoff score of ≥ 2. The HANC score compared favorably against the recently validated ABCD score in the full Switch Study cohort (n = 200), and the ABCD-GENE score in a genotyped cohort (n = 102). Conclusions: The HANC score may serve to alert clinicians to patients at potentially higher HPR risk on clopidogrel, but not prasugrel. Further research to validate this score and assess its correlation with clinical outcomes is warranted.

The Procedural and Clinical Outcomes of Rotational Atherectomy in Patients Presenting With Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Background: Rotational atherectomy (RA) is an indispensable tool used for calcified lesion preparation in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, use of RA in the setting of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is challenged with limited clinical data. Objectives: This study aims to retrospectively investigate the procedural results, periprocedural complications, and clinical outcomes of RA in patients with AMI. Methods: All possible consecutive patients who received RA in AMI from January 2009 to March 2018 in a single tertiary center were analyzed retrospectively. Patients without AMI during the study period were also enrolled for comparison. Results: A total of 121 patients with AMI (76.0 ± 10.8 years, 63.6% males) and 290 patients without AMI were recruited. Among the AMI group, 81% of patients had non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and 14% presented with cardiogenic shock. RA could be completed in 98.8% of patients in the AMI group and 98.3% in the non-AMI group (p = 1.00). The periprocedural complication rates were comparable between the AMI and non-AMI groups. The risks of in-hospital, 30-day, 90-day, and 1-year cardiovascular major adverse cardiac events (CV MACE) were significantly higher in the AMI group compared with the non-AMI group (in-hospital 13.2 vs. 2.8%, p < 0.001; 30-day 14.2 vs. 4.5%, p < 0.001; 90-day 20.8 vs. 6.9%, p < 0.001; 1-year 30.8 vs. 19.1%, p = 0.01). AMI at initial presentation and cardiogenic shock were predictors for both in-hospital CV MACE and 1-year CV MACE in multivariable binary logistic regression analysis. Other predictors for 1-year CV MACE included serum creatinine level and triple vessel disease. Conclusion: RA in patients with AMI is feasible with a high procedural completion rate and acceptable periprocedural complications. Given unstable hemodynamics and complex coronary anatomy, the in-hospital and 1-year MACE rates remained higher in patients with AMI compared with patients without AMI.

Rotablation in Patients with Advanced Renal Insufficiency through End-Stage Renal Disease: Short- and Intermediate-Term Results.

Objective: Patients with advanced renal insufficiency are at high risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) and complex lesions. Treating complex calcified lesion with rotational atherectomy (RA) in these patients might be associated with higher risks and poorer outcomes. This study was set to evaluate features and outcomes of RA in these patients. Method: Consecutive patients who received coronary RA from April 2010 to April 2018 were queried from the Cath Lab database. The procedural details, angiography, and clinical information were reviewed in detail. Results: A total of 411 patients were enrolled and divided into Group A (baseline serum creatinine <5 mg/dl, n = 338) and Group B (baseline serum creatinine ≥ 5 mg/dl through ESRD, n = 73). Most patients had high-risk features (65.7% of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), 14.1% of ischemic cardiomyopathy, and 5.1% of cardiogenic shock). Group B patients were significantly younger (66.8 ± 11.4 vs. 75.2 ± 10.7 years, p < 0.001) and had more RCA and LCX but less LAD treated with RA. No difference was found in lesion location, vessel tortuosity, bifurcation lesions, chronic total occlusion, total lesion length, or total lesion numbers between the two groups. Less patients in Group B obtained completion of RA (95.9% vs 99.1%, p=0.037). There was no difference in the incidence of procedural complication or acute contrast-induced nephropathy. Group B patients had more deaths and MACE while in the hospital. The MACE and CV MACE were also higher in Group B patients at 180 days and one year, mostly due to TLR and TVR. Multivariate regression analysis showed that ACS, age, peripheral artery disease (PAD), advanced renal insufficiency, ischemic cardiomyopathy/shock, and high residual SYNTAX score were independent risk factors for in-hospital MACE, whereas ACS, advanced renal insufficiency, ischemic cardiomyopathy/shock, triple-vessel disease, and PAD independently predicted MACE at 6 months. Conclusions: Rotablation is feasible, safe, and could be carried out with very high success rate in very-high-risk patients with advanced renal dysfunction through ESRD without an increase in procedural complication.

Rotational atherectomy for chronically and totally occluded coronary lesions: A propensity score-matched outcomes study.

Background: Despite advances being made in techniques and devices, certain chronic total occlusion (CTO) lesions remain uncrossable or undilatable. Rotational atherectomy (RA) is usually necessary for such lesions to achieve successful revascularization. Methods: Information regarding consecutive patients who underwent coronary RA was retrieved from the catheterization laboratory database. Patients who underwent RA for CTO lesion refractory using other conventional devices were recruited, with propensity score-matched cases serving as controls. Results: A total of 411 patients underwent coronary RA in the study period. Most patients had high-risk features (65.7% had acute coronary syndrome (ACS), 14.1% ischemic cardiomyopathy, and 5.1% cardiogenic shock), while only 20.2% of the patients had stable angina. Among them, 44 patients underwent RA for CTO lesions (CTO group), whereas the propensity score matched controls consist of 37 patients (non-CTO group). The baseline characteristics, high-risk features, coronary artery disease (CAD) vessel numbers, left ventricular function and biochemistry profiles of both groups were the same except for more patients with diabetes (67.6% vs. 45.5%, p = 0.046) in the non-CTO group and more 1.25 mm burr uses in the CTO group. There were no significant differences in acute procedural outcomes or incidence of acute contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN), and no patient demanded emergent CABG or died during the procedure. There was no significant difference in major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), CV MACE or individual components between the two groups in the hospital, at 30, 90, and 180 days or at 1 year. Conclusion: In comparison with the propensity risk factor scores-matched controls, there was no difference in procedural complications, acute CIN or clinical outcomes during various stages of RA for CTO lesions. RA for CTO patients was highly efficient and showed safety and outcome profiles similar to those for non-CTO lesions.

Clinical outcomes of multivessel coronary artery disease patients revascularized by robot-assisted vs conventional standard coronary artery bypass graft surgeries in real-world practice.

ABSTRACT: The treatment of patients with multivessel coronary artery disease (MVD) by coronary stenting (PCI) and the "gold standard" conventional coronary-artery bypass grafting (C-CABG) has been well explored in the literature. However, the clinical outcomes of robot-assisted CABG (R-CABG) vs C-CABG in MVD patients in real-world practice were unknown. We aimed to study the clinical outcomes of MVD patients who underwent R-CABG (robotic MIDCAB) and C-CABG at our institution between January 2005 and December 2013.A total of 516 MVD patients received CABG were recruited into this study. Among them, 281 patients received R-CABG and 235 patients underwent C-CABG. Patients in the R-CABG group were younger, and had fewer vessels with coronary artery disease (CAD), lower prevalence of chronic renal disease (CKD), higher left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), as well as lower Euro scores. The in-hospital and long-term mortalities were lower in the R-CABG group, but the incidences of target lesion revascularization (TLR), target vessel revascularization (TVR), myocardial infarction (MI), and stroke were not significantly different between the two groups. The long-term mortality was related to age, lower LVEF, and CKD, but not residual SYNTAX score, or completeness of revascularization. The revascularization modality (R-CABG vs C-CABG) was a borderline significantly independent predictor of long-term mortality (OR 1.76 [0.99-3.14], P = .055).Our study concluded that R-CABG, in comparison with C-CABG, for MVD carried out in younger patients involved fewer clinical complexities was associated with lower in-hospital and long-term mortalities in real-world practice. However, the long-term rates of TLR, TVR, MI, and stroke were similar. The long-term mortality was correlated with age, lower LVEF, and CKD, where R-CABG remained a borderline significant predictor after correcting for confounding factors. R-CABG could be an effective alternative to C-CABG for MVD patients with fewer clinical complexities in real-world practice.

Incidence and Mechanisms of Coronary Perforations during Rotational Atherectomy in Modern Practice.

OBJECTIVE: Heavy calcifications remain formidable challenges to PCI, even for well-experienced operators. However, rotational atherectomy (RA)-induced coronary perforations (CPs) still could not be obviated. This study was to explore incidence and mechanisms of RA-induced CP in real-world practice. Knowing why CPs occur in RA should help operators avert such mishaps. METHOD: Patients who received coronary RA from April 2010 to December 2019 with keywords related to perforations were retrieved from database. The procedure details, angiography, and clinical information were reviewed in detail. RESULTS: A total of 479 RAs were performed with 11 perforations in 10 procedures among 9 patients documented. The incidence of RA-induced CP was 2.1%. The RA vessels were distributed in different territories, including first diagonal branch. Most CPs could be treated conservatively, but prolonged profound shock predisposed to poor outcome. CPs caused by rotawire tip occurred in 18.2% of cases, inappropriately sized burrs in 18.2% of cases, and rotawire damage with subsequent transection and perforation in another 18.2% of cases. A total of 5 (45.5%) perforations were caused by unintended and unnoticed bias cutting into noncalcified plaques (4, 36.4%) or through calcified vessel wall (1, 9.1%). The mechanisms for certain CPs were unique and illustrated in diagrams. CONCLUSION: CPs due to RA occur in certain percentage of patients. The mechanisms for CPs are diverse. Wire damage with subsequent transection could occur due to inappropriately repetitive burr stress on the wire body. A significant portion was due to unintended and unnoticed bias cutting into noncalcified plaque or through calcified vessel wall.

Plantar thermography predicts freedom from major amputation after endovascular therapy in critical limb ischemic patients.

Although plantar thermography can evaluate the immediate perfusion result after an endovascular therapy (EVT) has been performed, a relevant wound outcome study is still lacking.This study was to investigate whether angiosome-based plantar thermography could predict wound healing and freedom from major amputation after EVT in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI).All 124 patients with CLI (Rutherford category 5 and 6) who underwent EVT from January 2017 to February 2019 were prospectively enrolled. All patients received thermography both before and after EVT. Both wound healing and freedom from major amputation at the 6-month follow-up period were recorded. There were 61 patients in the healing group and 63 patients in the non-healing group, whereas the major amputation total was 14 patients. The mean pre- and post-EVT temperature of the foot was significantly higher in the healing group than in the non-healing group (30.78 °C vs 29.42 °C, P = .015; and 32.34 °C vs 30.96 °C, P = .004, respectively). DIFF2 was significantly lower in the non-healing group (-1.38 vs -0.90, P = .009). DIFF1 and DIFF2 were significantly lower in the amputation group (-1.85 °C vs -1.11 °C, P = .026; and -1.82 °C vs -1.08 °C, P = .004). Multivariate analysis showed that DIFF2 stood out as an independent predictor for freedom from major amputation (hazard ratio 0.51, P = .045). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed a DIFF2 cut-off value of -1.30 °C, which best predicts freedom from major amputation.Plantar thermography is associated with wound healing and helps predict freedom from major amputation in CLI patients undergoing EVT.

The Characteristics and Clinical Outcomes of Rotational Atherectomy under Intra-Aortic Balloon Counterpulsation Assistance for Complex and Very High-Risk Coronary Interventions in Contemporary Practice: An Eight-Year Experience from a Tertiary Center.

BACKGROUND: The use of Complex and High-risk Coronary Interventions (CHIPs) has increased in recent years. Both rotational atherectomy (RA) and hemodynamic support are important parts of CHIPs. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to retrospectively investigate the procedure results and clinical outcomes of intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP)-assisted RA in the contemporary drug-eluting stent era. METHODS: All consecutive patients who received RA under in-procedure IABP assistance from April 2010 to March 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: A total of 63 patients (77.7 ± 10.1 years, 69.8% male) were recruited, of whom 51 underwent RA with primary IABP assistance and 12 underwent bailout IABP. RA could be completed in 61 (96.8%) of the patients. Overall, vessel perforation, profound in-procedure shock, and ventricular arrhythmia occurred in 1.6%, 4.8% and 3.2% of the patients, respectively. The in-hospital, 30-day and 90-day major adverse cardiac event (MACE) rates were 22.2%, 27.4% and 36.1%, respectively, mostly driven by mortality. The MACE rates were significantly higher in the bail-out group in the hospital (50.0% vs. 15.7%, p = 0.018) at 30 days (58.3% vs. 20.0%, p = 0.013) and 90 days (66.7% vs. 28.6%, p = 0.020). CONCLUSIONS: Bail-out IABP was associated with increased MACEs, implying that the use of IABP should be implemented at the beginning of RA if a complex procedure is anticipated.

Insulin ameliorates hypoxia-induced autophagy, endoplasmic reticular stress and apoptosis of myocardial cells: In vitro and ex vivo models.

Whether and how insulin counteracts the cytotoxic effects of hypoxia and improves cardiomyocyte viability remains unclear. To achieve this aim, cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes pretreated with vehicle or 1 µM insulin were exposed to either normoxic or hypoxia environment for up to 24 h. Cell viability was monitored and cellular apoptosis as well as necrosis, indexes of autophagy, endoplasmic reticular (ER) stress, and expressions of specific relevant mediators of the signaling pathways of autophagy were also assessed. Hypoxia impaired cell viability, induced autophagy, triggered apoptosis, activated ER stress pathway-associated apoptotic responses along with downstream pro-apoptotic transcriptional factor C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), and increased apoptosis of myocardial cells. On the other hand, insulin pretreatment effectively ameliorated autophagy via PI3-K/Akt signaling pathway, suppressed ER stress, and prevented hypoxia-induced cellular apoptosis. In an ex vivo study, isolated rat hearts were pre-treated in some cases with insulin and subjected to proximal left coronary artery ligation to induce acute myocardial ischemia. Coronary ligation-induced acute ischemia upregulated glucose-related protein 78 (GRP78) and triggered cellular apoptosis in the jeopardized myocardium. Conversely, insulin pretreatment suppressed these hypoxia-related cytotoxic events and reduced myocardial infarct size by up to 15.2%. In conclusion, hypoxia impedes cell viability through triggering autophagy, ER stress and apoptosis, whereas insulin pretreatment effectively prevents these cytotoxic actions of hypoxia, preserves myocardial cell viability and reduces myocardial infarct size. These results indicated the cytoprotective mechanism of insulin against the insult of hypoxia may justify insulin as a therapeutic option for patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Acute Angiographic and Intermediate-Term Clinical Results of Patients with Non-Left Main Coronary Bifurcation Lesions Treated with BVS by Jailed Semi-Inflated Balloon Technique and Provisional Side-Branch Stenting Strategy.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the acute angiographic and intermediate-term clinical results of patients with non-left main (LM) coronary artery bifurcation disease (CABD) treated with BVS, as compared with those treated with DES, using the jailed semi-inflated balloon technique (JSIBT) for side branch (SB) protection and provisional stenting. METHODS AND RESULTS: Sixty-eight patients with non-LM CABD who had undergone provisional one-stent implantation with SB protection by JSIBT between January 2015 and December 2017 were retrospectively enrolled. Among them, 20 patients received Absorb BVS implantation and 48 patients received DES implantation. Patients in the BVS group were younger and had higher BMI, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and hemoglobin but had lower serum creatinine and lower prevalence of prior PCI and MI. No SB balloon rupture/entrapment occurred in either group. The incidence of SB dissection/occlusion and SB in need of rewiring or stenting was rare in both groups and showed no significant difference between them. Postinterventional TIMI flow significantly increased in both groups. The intermediate-term clinical outcomes were good in terms of incidence of target lesion failure, target lesion revascularization, target vessel revascularization, myocardial infarction, and all-cause death in both groups. CONCLUSION: The use of JSIBT for treating CABD with modern BVS can provide SB protection as similar as those with DES, even with higher incidence of acute SB dissection/occlusion. The immediate angiographic results and acute and intermediate-term clinical outcomes were also similar in both groups. Our study results demonstrate that JSIBT might be a safe and alternative SB protection tool for BVS in patients with complex CABD.

Clinical outcomes of patients with multivessel coronary artery disease treated with robot-assisted coronary artery bypass graft surgery versus one-stage percutaneous coronary intervention using drug-eluting stents.

A number of studies have reported on treatment outcomes of coronary stenting (PCI) for multivessel coronary artery diseases (MVD), and compared them with the conventional coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). However, the clinical outcomes of robot-assisted CABG (R-CABG) in comparison with PCI in MVD patients have not been investigated.We recruited retrospectively MVD patients receiving R-CABG and PCI with drug-eluting stents for all vessels in one stage between January 2005 and December 2013 at our institution with at least 3 years of outcomes were retrospectively recruited and analyzed.A total of 638 MVD patients were studied. Among them, 281 received R-CABG, and 357 received PCI. Similar complete revascularizations were achieved in both groups (R-CABG: 40.2%, PCI: 41.5%, P = .751). The residual stenosis was 4.1 ±â€Š4.4 in the R-CABG group, and comparably 3.5 ±â€Š3.7 in the PCI group (P = .077). Patients in the R-CABG group were younger, with more severe coronary artery disease (CAD) and had more background risk factors. The in-hospital and long-term mortalities as well as the incidence of TLR, myocardial infarction (MI), stroke were all similar between groups. But the incidence of TVR and any revascularization were lower in the R-CABG group. The long-term mortality was predicted by age, left ventricular ejection fraction, and chronic kidney disease, but not by the revascularization modality, completeness of revascularization, nor residual SYNTAX scores. The last 3 factors were not predictors of long-term TLR, TVR, MI, and stroke.The in-hospital and long-term survival rates of MVD were similar for both the R-CABG and PCI groups. But the R-CABG group had rates of TVR and any revascularization lower than PCI. Revascularization modality, completeness of revascularization, and residual SYNTAX scores were not predictors of in-hospital and long-term mortalities, MI, and stroke in real-world practice. R-CABG was associated with lower rates of TLR and TVR, and is likely a safe and effective treatment and an alternative choice of PCI for MVD patients who have low surgical risks.

Clinical outcomes of coronary artery bifurcation disease patients underwent Culotte two-stent technique: a single center experience.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous coronary intervention for coronary artery bifurcation disease (CABD) remains challenging. In patients of CABD with situations that two-stent strategy is needed, the culotte technique is a widely used method and also as the majority at out institution. We sought to take a look of the clinical outcomes of our culotte stenting patients. METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed 238 consecutive CABD patients who underwent culotte two-stent technique at a tertiary medical center between July 2008 and November 2015. RESULTS: Culotte technique was used in 238 lesions in 238 patients. Of these patients, all DES were implanted for culotte two-stent technique. Most of these patients were elderly, male gender, ACS on admission and multiple vessel disease. The bifurcation lesions were mostly located at left coronary artery (51.3%), categorized as true bifurcation lesion (92%) and calculated less than 70 degree of bifurcation angle (74.4%). During a medium 3.27-year follow up, the angle of bifurcation lesion ≥70° and body mass index were positively independent predictors for target lesion failure (TLF), diabetes mellitus was an independent predictor of target vessel revascularization, and statin therapy for hyperlipidemia, hemoglobin and EF were negatively independent factors associated to total mortality. The rates of in-hospital and total mortalities were 4.2 and 17.6%. CONCLUSION: In this cohort of CABD patients with most left main and left anterior descending artery lesions treated by culotte stenting, the procedural success rate was high and the intermediate clinical outcomes were acceptable. (Reviewer #1, Comment #1) Bifurcation angle (≥ 70°) is an inherently independent predictor of TLF and other two-stent strategy replaced needed to be considered in this situation.

Feasibility and clinical outcomes of rotational atherectomy for heavily-calcified side branches of complex coronary bifurcation lesions in the real-world practice of the drug-eluting stent era.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the outcomes of rotational atherectomy for heavily-calcified side branches of coronary bifurcation lesions. BACKGROUND: Side-branch (SB) preservation is clinically important but technically challenging in heavily-calcified non-left main true bifurcation lesions. SB rotational atherectomy (SB RA) is sometimes mandatory but the clinical outcomes are not well studied. METHODS: We retrospectively studied the outcomes of patients who underwent RA at our institute for heavily calcified, balloon-uncrossable or-undilatable SB lesions over an approximately 5-year period (January 2011 to September 2016). RESULTS: Two hundred and forty-four patients underwent main vessel only RA (SB-MV + RA group) and another 48 patients underwent SB RA (SB + MV ± RA group) for 49 side branches. The demographic variables were comparable between the two groups. However, patients underwent SB RA experienced more SB perforations and greater acute contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN). Among the SB RA patients, 30 (62.5%) underwent RA for both SB and MV (SB + MV + RA subgroup), whereas the other 18 underwent SB only RA (SB + MV-RA subgroup). Patients in these two subgroups could be completed with similar procedural, fluoroscopic durations, and contrast doses. The long-term MACE rate of SB RA was 27.1% over a mean follow-up period of 25.1 months with no differences between the two subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: RA for SB preservation in complex and heavily-calcified bifurcation lesions was feasible with high success rate and quite favorable long-term outcomes in the drug-eluting stent (DES) era. Given the higher rates in SB perforation and acute CIN, we recommend that SB RA should be conducted by experienced operators.

Clinical outcomes of left main coronary artery disease patients undergoing three different revascularization approaches.

Significant unprotected left main (LM) coronary artery disease is frequently associated with severe multivessel disease and increased mortality and morbidity compared with non-LM coronary artery disease. This study compared the clinical outcomes of patients with LM disease who received percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stenting, conventional coronary-artery bypass grafting (C-CABG), and robot-assisted CABG (R-CABG).This retrospective study analyzed 472 consecutive LM disease patients who underwent three different revascularization approaches at a tertiary medical center between January 2005 and November 2013.Of the 472 LM disease patients, 139 received R-CABG, 147 received C-CABG, and 186 received PCI. The need for target vessel revascularization (TVR) was highest in the PCI group. The R-CABG group had significantly lower rates of in-hospital and follow-up all-cause deaths compared with the other 2 groups (1.4% vs. 3.4% and 9.7%, P = .0058; 13.7% vs. 29.3% and 29.6%, P = .0023, respectively). Patients in the R-CABG group had significantly lower rates of intra-aortic balloon pump assistance, and shorter duration of ICU and total hospital stay compared to patients in the C-CABG group. However, revascularization modality, SYNTAX scores, and residual SYNTAX scores were not independent predictors of in-hospital or long-term mortality.In this cohort of LM disease patients treated at a tertiary medical center, PCI is a reasonable choice in patients with less lesion complexity but who are older and have comorbidities. R-CABG is feasible in stable LM disease patients with high SYNTAX scores, and is an effective alternative to C-CABG in LM disease patients with few risk factors. However, revascularization modality per se was not a determinant for long-term mortality in our real-world practice.

Percutaneous intervention to correct central venous port catheter malposition.

The use of central venous port access is increasing due to the requirements of multimodal intravenous therapy.1 However, catheter malposition in smaller veins can lead to vein thrombosis, phlebitis and pain. Herein, we report our experience with the use of percutaneous interventions to correct migrated port catheter malposition. Minimally invasive percutaneous interventional correction of malposition could be an alternative to extraction and re-implantation of malpositioned port catheters.

Endovascular Treatment of Concomitant Obstructions of a Denver Drainage Catheter and Superior Vena Cava in a Patient With Liver Cirrhosis.

With the increased use of intravascular catheters and devices, they have become the major non-malignant cause of superior vein cava (SVC) syndrome. We report a patient with liver cirrhosis who had received a peritoneovenous drainage catheter for refractory ascites, and then developed SVC syndrome because of concomitant occlusions of both the SVC and the drainage catheter. The patient regained patency of both the occluded vessel and the drainage catheter through percutaneous transluminal venoplasty, and there was dramatic improvement of clinical symptoms and good performance of the drainage catheter. Percutaneous intervention may be a feasible and effective therapy for SVC syndrome and intra-catheter thrombosis-related dysfunction.

Dramatic and early response to low-dose steroid in the treatment of acute eosinophilic myocarditis: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Eosinophilic myocarditis encompasses a variety of etiologies and the prognosis varies. For patients with a hypersensitive response to medications, high-dose corticosteroids and discontinuation of culprit medications are the main treatments. CASE PRESENTATION: We reported a young man with biopsy-proven eosinophilic myocarditis which was possibly induced by Chinese herbal medicine. His heart failure and left ventricular hypertrophy improved soon after low-dose corticosteroid. CONCLUSION: Low-dose corticosteroid may be effective in selected patients with eosinophilic myocarditis. Early echocardiographic follow-up is mandatory for evaluation of the clinical response.