Recanalization of Chronic Total Occlusions in Patients With Previous Coronary Bypass Surgery and Consideration of Retrograde Access via Saphenous Vein Grafts.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of native coronary chronic total occlusions (CTOs) after coronary artery bypass grafts (CABGs) is higher than in non-CABG population. We examined outcomes of CTO percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) post-CABG versus without CABG. Then, we looked at feasibility and outcomes of retrograde CTO PCI via patent or occluded saphenous vein graft. METHODS AND RESULTS: We compared patient and procedural characteristics of 470 CTO cases treated from January 2010 to December 2015 depending on history of CABG. We assessed major adverse cardiac events, including cardiac death, myocardial infarction, ischemia-driven target-vessel revascularization, or reocclusion 1 year after successful CTO PCI in patients treated before February 2015. Post-CABG patients (175 cases) had a higher J-CTO score (2.5 versus 2.1; P=0.002). In-hospital complications were similar, although the incidence of contrast-induced nephropathy was higher in post-CABG patients (4.6% versus 1%; P=0.01). With multivariable analysis, post-CABG status was associated with higher incidence of 1-year major adverse cardiac event (hazards ratio=2.2; P=0.02). As a second level analysis, we looked at the feasibility and safety of CTO PCI via saphenous vein grafts (19% of post-CABG cases) versus collateral channels (36%) versus with an antegrade-only approach (45%), and assessed short-term outcomes and complications. High success was achieved in the saphenous vein graft group. In-hospital events were similar in the 3 groups. CONCLUSIONS: Post-CABG CTO PCI is associated with similar high success and low complications compared with CTO PCI in patients who never had CABG. However, it is associated with higher recurrent events at 1 year. To achieve high success rate, use of saphenous vein grafts as retrograde conduits seems to be safe and effective.

Intracoronary compared to intravenous Abciximab and high-dose bolus compared to standard dose in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing transradial primary percutaneous coronary intervention: a two-by-two factorial placebo-controlled randomized study.

Platelet aggregation inhibition (PAI) of > or =95% has been associated with improved outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor treatment. A greater thrombotic burden in acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) might require higher doses and/or intracoronary delivery of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors to achieve optimal PAI. Using a 2 x 2 factorial placebo-controlled design, 105 patients with STEMI who had been referred for primary PCI within 6 hours of symptom onset were randomized to intracoronary (IC) or intravenous (IV) delivery of an abciximab bolus at a standard dose (0.25 mg/kg) or high dose (> or =0.30 mg/kg) of abciximab. The primary end point was PAI measured at 10 minutes after the bolus of abciximab. Secondary end points included the acute and 6-month outcomes using angiographic parameters, cardiac biomarkers, cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging, and clinical end points. At 10 minutes after the bolus, the proportion of patients with > or =95% PAI was not different between the IC and IV groups (53% vs 54%, p = 1.00) nor between the high-dose and standard-dose bolus groups (56% vs 51%, p = 0.70). Acutely, the angiographic myocardial blush grades, peak release of cardiac biomarkers, necrosis size, myocardial perfusion, and no reflow as assessed by magnetic resonance imaging, and clinical end points were similar between the groups and did not suggest a benefit for IC compared to IV or high-dose versus standard-dose bolus of abciximab. No increase occurred in bleeding complications with the high-dose bolus or IC delivery. The clinical, angiographic and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging outcomes at 6 and 12 months were similar between the 4 groups. In conclusion, in patients with STEMI presenting with symptom onset <6 hours and undergoing transradial primary PCI, PAI remained suboptimal, despite a higher dose bolus of abciximab. A higher dose bolus or IC delivery of abciximab bolus was not associated with improved acute or late results compared to the standard IV dosing and administration.