Outcomes of Medical Therapy Plus PCI for Multivessel or Left Main CAD Ineligible for Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is increasingly used to revascularize patients ineligible for CABG, but few studies describe these patients and their outcomes. OBJECTIVES: This study sought to describe characteristics, utility of risk prediction, and outcomes of patients with left main or multivessel coronary artery disease ineligible for coronary bypass grafting (CABG). METHODS: Patients with complex coronary artery disease ineligible for CABG were enrolled in a prospective registry of medical therapy + PCI. Angiograms were evaluated by an independent core laboratory. Observed-to-expected 30-day mortality ratios were calculated using The Society for Thoracic Surgeons (STS) and EuroSCORE (European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation) II scores, surgeon-estimated 30-day mortality, and the National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR) CathPCI model. Health status was assessed at baseline, 1 month, and 6 months. RESULTS: A total of 726 patients were enrolled from 22 programs. The mean SYNTAX (Synergy Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Taxus and Cardiac Surgery) score was 32.4 ± 12.2 before and 15.0 ± 11.7 after PCI. All-cause mortality was 5.6% at 30 days and 12.3% at 6 months. Observed-to-expected mortality ratios were 1.06 (95% CI: 0.71-1.36) with The Society for Thoracic Surgeons score, 0.99 (95% CI: 0.71-1.27) with the EuroSCORE II, 0.59 (95% CI: 0.42-0.77) using cardiac surgeons' estimates, and 4.46 (95% CI: 2.35-7.99) using the NCDR CathPCI score. Health status improved significantly from baseline to 6 months: SAQ summary score (65.9 ± 22.5 vs 86.5 ± 15.1; P < 0.0001), Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire summary score (54.1 ± 27.2 vs 82.6 ± 19.7; P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients ineligible for CABG who undergo PCI have complex clinical profiles and high disease burden. Following PCI, short-term mortality is considerably lower than surgeons' estimates, similar to surgical risk model predictions but is over 4-fold higher than estimated by the NCDR CathPCI model. Patients' health status improved significantly through 6 months.

Safe Ambulation of Critically Ill Cardiac Patients With Femoral Balloon Pumps: A Case Cohort Study.

We sought to demonstrate the safety of ambulation of patients with intra-aortic balloon pumps (IABPs) inserted via the femoral approach in the setting of 1 cardiovascular surgical intensive care unit and 1 cardiac care unit. We studied 70 patients who had received femoral IABPs at our institution between December 2015 and June 2019 and who met standardized criteria for ambulation. These patients underwent initial standing trials with a specialty standing bed/tilt table and progressed to standing exercises and, ultimately, to ambulation (defined as covering a distance of at least 10 feet) with the physical therapist. A total of 323 sessions of ambulation were successfully performed in 70 patients with IABPs inserted via the femoral approach, for an average of 4.61 sessions per patient. The average ambulation session time was 45 minutes (3-62 minutes, covering a median distance of 420 ft [805 IQR]). Complications were defined as major or minor and were monitored for during and after ambulation. Major complications included limb ischemia, arterial dissection, aortic aneurysm, balloon rupture, significant hemodynamic compromise, and death. Minor complications included balloon migration, infection, paresthesia, changes in balloon augmentation, and hematoma at insertion site. No major complications were associated with ambulation, and only 11 minor complications were observed. The total complication rate was 3.40% for all ambulation sessions. Ambulation of selected patients with femoral IABPs appears to be a safe activity when using the enclosed protocol and selection process. Future studies are required to show that such activities decrease muscle deconditioning in these patients and enhance recovery.

Two cases of late embolization of Amplatzer septal occluder devices to the pulmonary artery following closure of secundum atrial septal defects.

The Amplatzer septal occluder (ASO; AGA Medical Corporation) is a self-expanding nitinol double-disk device that is being used for atrial septal defect closure with increasing frequency. The morbidity of the procedure is thought to be low, but complications are possible. We describe two cases of delayed embolization of the device to the right heart. Our patients both required surgical retrieval of the devices, which had migrated to the pulmonary artery.