Circumflex distortion following mitral valve repair.

Mitral valve repair or replacement poses a potential risk of injury to the left circumflex coronary artery (LCx). Such injuries can arise from either direct LCx injury caused by encircling or transfixing stitches, or indirect occlusion resulting from the distortion of adjacent tissues. We provide and illustrate a representative image depicting LCx distortion. Additionally, we offer guidance to aid angiographers in comprehending the angiographic appearance and the underlying mechanism of occlusion.

Stent dislodgement during withdrawal attempt into the guiding-catheter: A step-by-step retrieval technique.

Catheter-induced stent dislodgement may occur when attempting to withdraw the stent into the guide-catheter particularly in cases of guiding-catheter co-axiality issues. We present the management of a catheter-induced stent dislodgement with simultaneous loss of wire position.

Optimal reperfusion strategy in acute high-risk pulmonary embolism requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The optimal pulmonary revascularisation strategy in high-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) requiring implantation of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) remains controversial. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of evidence comparing mechanical embolectomy and other strategies, including systemic thrombolysis, catheter-directed thrombolysis or ECMO as stand-alone therapy, with regard to mortality and bleeding outcomes. RESULTS: We identified 835 studies, 17 of which were included, comprising 327 PE patients. Overall, 32.4% were treated with mechanical pulmonary reperfusion (of whom 85.9% had surgical embolectomy), while 67.6% received other strategies. The mortality rate was 22.6% in the mechanical reperfusion group and 42.8% in the "other strategies" group. The pooled odds ratio for mortality with mechanical reperfusion was 0.439 (95% CI 0.237-0.816) (p=0.009; I2=35.2%) versus other reperfusion strategies and 0.368 (95% CI 0.185-0.733) (p=0.004; I2=32.9%) for surgical embolectomy versus thrombolysis. The rate of bleeding in patients under ECMO was 22.2% in the mechanical reperfusion group and 19.1% in the "other strategies" group (OR 1.27, 95% CI 0.54-2.96; I2=7.7%). The meta-regression model did not identify any relationship between the covariates "more than one pulmonary reperfusion therapy", "ECMO implantation before pulmonary reperfusion therapy", "clinical presentation of PE" or "cancer-associated PE" and the associated outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present meta-analysis and meta-regression suggest that mechanical reperfusion, notably by surgical embolectomy, may yield favourable results regardless of the timing of ECMO implantation in the reperfusion timeline, independent of thrombolysis administration or cardiac arrest presentation.