Intracardiac echocardiography with ultrasound probe placed in the upper left pulmonary vein to guide left atrial appendage closure: First description.

Intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) has become an effective alternative to trans-esophageal echocardiography (TEE) as a guidance during interventional procedures for structural heart diseases, allowing to proceed under conscious sedation. To guide percutaneous left atrial appendage (LAA) closure, the ICE probe is usually placed in the right atrium, in the pulmonary artery or in the left atrium (LA); however, the views from the right atrium or the pulmonary artery are often suboptimal, debarring a complete visualization of the LAA and the surrounding structures, whereas the LA location requires trans-septal puncture, may provoke LA wall mechanical stimulation and is often associated with unstable position of the ICE probe. In our case, after a second trans-septal puncture, the ICE probe was placed in the upper left pulmonary vein; this was safely performed and provided an optimal imaging of the LAA, comparable to that obtained by TEE, thus warranting an adequate guide during all procedural steps.

Efficacy and safety of oral anticoagulant therapy in frail patients with atrial fibrillation.

Antithrombotic treatment of frail patients with AF presents various challenges. The fear of bleeding often leds to a large underuse of anticoagulant agents in these patients, although more recent data indicate that oral anticoagulation  (especially with the newer, direct anticoagulants) is increasingly used. While there is a need for more real world data, available evidence suggests that non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are an effective alternative to warfarin in frail patients with AF for preventing thromboembolic events, with a better safety profile. Logical considerations and evidence-base data related to the reduced bleeding risk (also including major bleeding and intracranial bleeding) of NOACs make these drugs the anticoagulant agents of choice in frail patients; however, in this setting an individualised approach should be taken, taking into consideration the risk of thromboembolic and bleeding events, other comorbidities and patient-related factors, rather than a generalised "one drug fits all" approach.

Net clinical benefit of patent foramen ovale closure in patients with cryptogenic stroke: Meta-analysis and meta-regression of randomized trials.

BACKGROUND: Controlled randomized trials (CRTs) comparing the efficacy of patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure and medical therapy in patients with cryptogenic stroke have yielded heterogeneous results. No data are available on the net clinical benefit with the two strategies. METHODS: We pooled data of 3440 patients enrolled in five CRTs, randomized to PFO closure (n = 1829) or medical therapy (n = 1611) and followed for a mean of 4.1 years. RESULTS: The net composite endpoint of stroke, major bleeding or atrial fibrillation (AF)/flutter was not different among PFO closure and medical therapy (OR 1.06; 95% CI 0.63-1.77; p = 0.83). PFO closure was associated with similar bleeding rates and with a significant 59% relative reduction of recurrent stroke versus medical therapy; in the intervention group this stroke prevention was counterbalanced by a significant 4.7-fold higher risk of AF/flutter. Meta-regression analysis showed that odds ratios for the net composite endpoint were related to prevalence of severe shunt at baseline (p = 0.002), percentage of procedural success (p = 0.002), stroke incidence in the medical therapy arm (p = 0.012) and to follow-up duration (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study-level meta-analysis of CRTs demonstrates that, compared to medical therapy, PFO closure prevents recurrent ischemic cerebral events, but increases the risk of AF/flutter in patients with cryptogenic stroke; as a result, the net clinical benefit with the two strategies was similar. Our results support an individualized therapeutic approach, tailored on the evaluation of the patient's risks (anatomical PFO risk, clinical risk of recurrent stroke, bleeding risk, and risk of AF).

Aortic root surgery in Marfan syndrome: Bentall procedure with the composite mechanical valved conduit versus aortic valve reimplantation with Valsalva graft.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study is to compare mid-term results of Bentall aortic root replacement with composite mechanical valved conduit and aortic valve reimplantation procedure using the Valsalva graft for the treatment of aortic root aneurysm in patients with Marfan syndrome. METHODS: We retrospectively compared data of 23 patients (mean age 38 + or - 14 years) who had undergone the Bentall procedure (group B) to those of 24 patients (mean age 36 + or - 12 years) who had undergone aortic valve reimplantation (group R) during a 14-year period. Follow-up (mean duration 65 + or - 44 months) was 100% complete. RESULTS: There were no operative deaths in either group. In group B, as compared with group R, preoperative aortic insufficiency (3.2 + or - 1.1/4 vs. 1.7 + or - 1.4/4, P < 0.001), ascending aorta diameter (55.8 + or - 4.9 vs. 44.1 + or - 8.7 mm, P = 0.001) were prevailing; cardiopulmonary bypass (107 + or - 51 vs. 145 + or - 32 min, P < 0.05) and aortic cross-clamp (77 + or - 17 vs. 116 + or - 30 min, P = 0.005) times were shorter. Eight-year survival and freedom from cardiac death and reoperation were 91 + or - 6, 96 + or - 4 and 100% in group B and 100, 100 and 91 + or - 6% in group R, respectively (P = NS for all comparisons). At follow-up, echocardiography showed significant improvement of left ventricular ejection fraction (0.60 + or - 0.10 vs. 0.52 + or - 0.09 preoperatively, P = 0.01) and end-systolic diameter (34 + or - 5 vs. 47 + or - 14 mm, P = 0.001) in group B and significant reduction of preoperative aortic insufficiency (0.7 + or - 1.0/4 vs. 1.7 + or - 1.4/4, P = 0.01) and aortic annulus (24 + or - 2.4 vs. 33 + or - 5 mm, P = 0.01) in group R. CONCLUSION: In Marfan patients, the Bentall procedure is associated with excellent mid-term outcome. The reimplantation technique, adopted for less dilated aortas, provides similarly satisfactory results. The Valsalva graft seems, with time, to allow a stable aortic valve function.