ABSTRACT
The Cutting Balloon consists of a standard balloon dilatation catheter with four microtome-sharp blades that incise the plaque and minimize arterial wall trauma. It was used in 31 patients; nine had calcified arteries, ten had non-compliant lesions, three had in-stent restenosis and nine had aorto-ostial lesions. Seventeen lesions were predilated, 28 were post-dilated and 18 required stent implantation. The procedure was very effective in aorto-ostial lesions, non-compliant lesions that were not responsive to high-pressure balloon dilatation, and was partially successful in calcified arteries. It has a very specific niche in selected lesions.
ABSTRACT
Electrophysiologic investigation was done for ten patients with clinical and ECG criteria for sick sinus syndrome (SSS). Sinus node function was assessed through corrected sinus node recovery time (CSNRT) and sinoatrial conduction time (SACT), before and after autonomic blockade (AB) with propranolol 0.2 mg/kg and atropine 0.04 mg/kg, given intravenously. Four patients having electrophysiologic parameter in normal range before AB were not considered as SSS. In three patients extrinsic sinus node dysfunction (SND) was found, the pathologic values of CSNRT and SACT being normal after AB, and in one patient with sinus bradycardia, the sinus node function was difficult to be appreciated. In two patients only intrinsic SND was found and, in consequence, pacemaker device was implanted.
