E-cigarette or vaping induced lung injury: A case series and literature review.

INTRODUCTION: Recently, a rapidly increasing number of e-cigarette or vaping induced lung injury (EVALI) has been reported across the nation. Given the ongoing epidemic, it has been suggested that specific chemical substances used as additives in e-cigarettes could be highly related to EVALI. A history of vaping with positive radiographic changes and low suspicion for active infection are requirements for diagnosis but it still remains a diagnosis of exclusion. The course of the disease, mechanism of lung injury and the optimal management options need to be better understood. Here we aimed to discuss the clinical characteristics recognized in a case series of ten hospitalized EVALI patients with radiological findings of lung injury and provide an up today summary of the known literature of EVALI-induced lung injury. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted on ten patients who presented to Saint Peter's University Hospital in New Brunswick, NJ from July 2019 to February 2020, with a mean hospital stay of five days. According to the CDC recommended definition of the disease, our cases met the current working definition of confirmed or probable cases of EVALI. RESULTS: Ten patients, with mean age 30.8 years (50 % male) and average years of vaping 1.708 with 60 % endorsing a simultaneous history of cannabis-related products use, went under a retrospective review. 3/10 (30 %) had documented medically-managed pulmonary disease history, 8/10 (80 %) presented with the respiratory-related chief complaint, 6/10 (60 %) presented with gastrointestinal symptoms and 7/10 (70 %) had constitutional symptoms. All patients (100 %) were found to have bilateral ground-glass opacities on chest imaging. 9/10 were admitted, 6/10 (60 %) had an oxygen saturation of <95 % requiring oxygen supplementation with 4/10 managed in the intensive care unit. CONCLUSION: EVALI patients with radiological findings of lung injury, although mainly present respiratory symptoms, may very often appear with constitutional and gastrointestinal symptoms. Based on the existing literature and our data it is argued that EVALI may be misdiagnosed and that closer monitoring is required to determine optimal diagnostic and therapeutic management of this condition. Our data and the existing literature suggest that laboratory and epidemiologic findings can be contributory for the diagnosis of the disease.

Radiation Safety in the Catheterization Laboratory: Current Perspectives and Practices.

BACKGROUND: There is great variability in radiation safety practices in cardiac catheterization laboratories around the world. METHODS: We performed an international online survey on radiation safety including interventional cardiologists, electrophysiologists, interventional radiologists, and vascular surgeons. RESULTS: A total of 570 responses were received from various geographic locations, including the United States (77.9%), Asia (7.9%), Europe (6.8%), Canada (2.8%), and Mexico and Central America (2.1%). Most respondents (73%) were interventional cardiologists and 23% were electrophysiologists, with 14.4 ± 10.2 years in practice. Most respondents (75%) were not aware of their radiation dose during the past year and 21.2% had never attended a radiation safety course; 58.9% are "somewhat worried" and 31.5% are "very worried" about chronic radiation exposure. Back pain due to lead use was reported by 43.0% and radiation-related health complications including cataracts and malignancies were reported by 6.3%. Only 37.5% of respondents had an established radiation dose threshold for initiating patient follow-up. When comparing United States operators with the other respondents, the former were more likely to attend radiation safety courses (P<.001), wear dosimeters (P<.001), know their annual personal radiation exposure (P<.001), and have an established patient radiation dose threshold (P<.001). They were also more likely to use the fluoro store function, under-table shields, leaded glasses, ceiling lead glass, and disposable radiation shields, and were more concerned about the adverse effects of radiation. CONCLUSIONS: Radiation safety is of concern to catheterization laboratory personnel, yet there is significant variability in radiation protection practices, highlighting several opportunities for standardization and improvement.

Hemodynamic Effects of Valve Asymmetry in Sapien 3 Transcatheter Aortic Valves.

BACKGROUND: Eccentric valve deployment after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has been associated with abnormal leaflet shear stresses that may accelerate structural valve deterioration (SVD). This phenomenon has not been studied in patients receiving Sapien 3 prostheses (Edwards Lifesciences). METHODS: A retrospective cohort analysis of 100 patients who received Sapien 3 valves between 2013 and 2015 at a single institution was performed. Axial fluoroscopic images from the co-planar view were used to assess TAVR asymmetry, which was defined as a ratio of left-to-right valve heights ≤0.9 or ≥1.1. Transthoracic echocardiograms (TTEs) were obtained at follow-up to analyze peak and mean aortic valve (AV) gradients, paravalvular leak (PVL), and aortic insufficiency (AI). RESULTS: Overall, 26 mm and 29 mm valves had greater asymmetry (45.2% and 46.9%) compared to 23 mm valves (21.2%; P=.06). There was no relationship between pre-TAVR eccentricity and post-TAVR asymmetry, but greater annular calcification was associated with a higher incidence of TAVR asymmetry. Although asymmetry was associated with higher mean and peak AV gradients among 23 mm and 26 mm valves at both 1-year and 2-year follow-up exams, these results did not reach significance. There were no significant differences in PVL or AI severity between asymmetric and symmetric valves. CONCLUSIONS: Asymmetric deployment of Sapien 3 valves is common, particularly among 26 mm and 29 mm prostheses. Overall, we detected a small increase in gradients in smaller prostheses, which could reflect early subclinical SVD. Longer follow-up will be necessary to determine the extent to which eccentricity is associated with clinically significant SVD.

A systematic review of primary endovascular repair of the ascending aorta.

OBJECTIVE: Endovascular repair of the ascending aorta is currently limited to patients at high surgical risk with aortic diseases originating above the sinotubular junction. A number of different endovascular technologies and approaches have been used, although no consensus exists regarding a standardized technique. To better understand real-world endovascular approaches to the ascending aorta, we performed a comprehensive review of the types of endovascular aortic stents and associated vascular access used in repair of the ascending aorta. METHODS: A search of the MEDLINE database was conducted from January 1, 1995, through January 31, 2017, with the search term "ascending aortic stent." Studies involving endovascular stenting in which the primary therapy was confined exclusively to the ascending aorta were included. Studies involving hybrid arch procedures and surgical replacement of the ascending aorta associated with aortic stenting were excluded. The type of aortic stent, underlying aortic disease, and surgical approach were recorded along with outcomes, need for reinterventions, and follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 46 publications that focused on primary endovascular repair of the ascending aorta were identified. Thirteen different aortic stent grafts of various designs were used in 118 total patients. The most commonly used device types were thoracic stents (n = 84 [71.2%]) along with abdominal cuffs (n = 13 [11%]) and custom-made grafts (n = 12 [10.2%]). The most commonly treated aortic disease was type A aortic dissection (n = 59 [50%]), followed by aortic pseudoaneurysm (n = 35 [29.7%]), aortic aneurysm (n = 6 [5.1%]), penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer (n = 5 [4.2%]), and acute aortic rupture (n = 3 [2.5%]). Femoral arterial access was used in 62.7% of patients (n = 74); transapical (n = 17 [14.4%]), carotid (n = 15 [12.7%]), and axillary (n = 8 [6.8%]) approaches were also used. The overall type I endoleak rate was 18.6% (n = 22), with 11 patients (9.3%) requiring reintervention. Other complications included all-cause mortality (n = 18 [15.2%]), conversions to open surgery (n = 4 [3.4%]), and cerebrovascular complications (n = 4 [3.4%]). Aorta-related mortality was 5% (n = 6), and average follow-up was 17.2 months. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the absence of a dedicated aortic stent graft for the ascending aorta, patients with a range of ascending aortic diseases are being successfully treated by endovascular technologies. For optimal outcomes, patient selection is critical to align aortic anatomy with the limited device sizing options, and it should be reserved for patients at high surgical risk.

Current Perspectives and Practices on Chronic Total Occlusion Percutaneous Coronary Interventions.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to examine contemporary perspectives and practices on chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). BACKGROUND: The frequency and success of CTO-PCI have been increasing in recent years. METHODS: An online questionnaire was created and distributed to cardiologists within the United States and internationally. RESULTS: A total of 1149 responses were obtained. The United States (n = 845; 73.5%), Asia (n = 98; 8.5%), Europe (n = 88; 7.7%), South America (n = 42; 3.7%), and Canada (n = 33; 2.9%) accounted for most responses. Mean practice duration of the respondents was 16.4 ± 11.5 years and 66.9% were interventional cardiologists. Most respondents agreed that CTO-PCI results in an improvement of patient symptoms (90.7%), left ventricular function (79.3%), arrhythmia risk (69.2%), and overall survival (63.1%). Interventional cardiologists had a more favorable view of the benefits of CTO-PCI as compared with non-interventional cardiologists (P<.001). Most respondents estimated the procedural success rates of contemporary CTO-PCI to be between 51%-75% (34.2%) and 76%-85% (30.2%), with interventional cardiologists estimating higher success rates than non-interventionalists (P<.001). Perforation, mortality, and tamponade were the three most concerning complications. Time and procedure complexity were reported to be the most significant barriers to the development of a CTO-PCI program. CONCLUSIONS: Most cardiologists believe that CTO-PCI can provide significant clinical benefits and can be accomplished with moderate to high success rates. Interventional cardiologists have a more favorable view of CTO-PCI as compared with non-invasive cardiologists.

Multispecialty involvement in the management of type B aortic dissections in the endovascular era-Implications for training cardiothoracic residents.

PURPOSE: Involvement of qualified specialists with proficiency in endovascular therapies has created flux regarding the role of cardiothoracic surgeons, vascular surgeons, and other catheter-skilled specialists in the management of type B aortic dissections. We used manuscript authorship trends and recent match data in order to study how multi-specialty involvement in treating aortic dissections has changed in the endovascular era. METHODS: A PubMed review of published literature between 1998 and 2015 was performed with "aortic dissection" in the title. Case studies and entries with incomplete author or identifying information were excluded. Author number, specialty affiliation, and treatment focus were recorded. Available residency match data were obtained from the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). RESULTS: Cardiothoracic surgeons represented 38.5% (10/23) of the authors for papers with an endovascular focus in 1998 compared with 27.7% (59/213) in 2015. Vascular surgeons represented 19.2% (5/23) and 37.1% (79/213) of authors in 1998 and 2015, respectively. Radiologists accounted for 30.4% (7/23) of authorship in 1998 and 8.9% (19/213) in 2015. NRMP match data revealed a 10.6% decrease in thoracic surgery matches from 2004 to 2015, while vascular surgery and interventional radiology increased by 74.7% and 191.1%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Endovascular technologies have resulted in significant changes as to which specialties manage complicated type B aortic dissections. Vascular surgeons, with both open and extensive endovascular training are optimally positioned to assume a major role in the care of aortic dissection patients. Continued emphasis on endovascular training and multispecialty collaboration is essential for cardiothoracic surgeons in the endovascular era.

Central Repair With Antegrade TEVAR for Malperfusion Syndromes in Acute Debakey I Aortic Dissection.

BACKGROUND: In acute DeBakey I aortic dissection presenting with malperfusion syndromes, we assessed whether standard open repair with concomitant antegrade stent grafting (thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair; TEVAR) of the descending thoracic aorta (DTA) improves outcomes compared with standard repair alone. METHODS: From 2005 to 2012, 277 patients with acute DeBakey I dissection underwent emergent operation. Of these, 104 patients (37%) presenting with end-organ malperfusion were divided into those undergoing standard distal repair entailing transverse hemiarch replacement (Standard group, n = 65) versus standard repair with concomitant DTA TEVAR during circulatory arrest (TEVAR group, n = 39). Prospectively maintained aortic dissection database was retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Demographic characteristics and preoperative comorbidities were similar. Circulatory arrest (56 ± 12 versus 34 ± 14 minutes, p < 0.001) and cross-clamp (176 ± 43 versus 119 ± 80, p = 0.001) times were longer in the TEVAR group. Overall, postoperative stroke rate (5% [n = 2] versus 6% [n = 4], p = 1), paraplegia rate (5% [n = 2] versus 5% [n = 3], p = 1.0), and renal failure rate (10% [n = 4] versus 22% [n = 14], p = 0.2) were similar. In-hospital/30-day mortality rate was lower in the TEVAR group but was not significant (18% (n = 7) versus 34% [n = 22], p = 0.1). In patients presenting with malperfusion involving greater than one end-organ system, the mortality rate was significantly improved in the TEVAR group (28% [n = 6] versus 58% [n = 14], p = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Standard repair with antegrade TEVAR of the DTA for acute DeBakey I aortic dissection presenting with malperfusion syndromes can be safely performed. Further, true lumen stabilization achieved through DTA TEVAR may provide a survival benefit in patients with distal multiorgan malperfusion.

Endoanchor stenting for the repair of a Type I endoleak in the aortic arch following the endovascular repair of a Kommerrell's diverticulum.

As more challenging aortic arch anatomy is being treated using aortic stent-grafts, there is an increased risk for proximal Type I endoleaks at the proximal seal zone or subsequent graft migration. We report a case of an endoanchor-assisted thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair of a patient with an aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA) and aortic arch aneurysm who developed a proximal Type I endoleak in the aortic arch which was subsequently treated with endoanchors.

Long-term outcomes with first- vs. second-generation drug-eluting stents in saphenous vein graft lesions.

BACKGROUND: As compared with bare metal stents, first-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) improved post-procedural outcomes in aortocoronary saphenous vein graft (SVG) lesions, but there is limited information on outcomes after use of second-generation DES in SVGs. METHODS: We compared the outcomes of patients who received first- (n = 81) with those who received second-generation (n = 166) DES in SVG lesions at our institution between 2006 and 2013. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) were defined as the composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, and target vessel revascularization. RESULTS: Mean age was 66.0 ± 8.1 years and 97.6% of the patients were men. Mean SVG age was 11.1 ± 0.4 years. First-generation DES were sirolimus-eluting (n = 17) and paclitaxel-eluting (n = 64) stents. Second-generation DES were everolimus-eluting (n = 115) and zotarolimus-eluting (n = 51) stents. Median follow-up was 41 months. At 2-years post-procedure, patients with first- and second-generation DES had similar rates of death (20.91% vs. 20.27%, P = 0.916), target lesion revascularization (16.39% vs. 20.00%, P = 0.572), target vessel revascularization (20.97% vs. 23.16%, P = 0.747), myocardial infarction (26.15% vs. 23.00%, P = 0.644), and MACE (43.5% vs. 40.87%, P = 0.707), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Outcomes with first- and second-generation DES in SVGs are similar. Novel stent designs are needed to further improve the clinical outcomes in this challenging patient and lesion subgroup. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Application and outcomes of a hybrid approach to chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention in a contemporary multicenter US registry.

BACKGROUND: A hybrid approach to chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) prioritizing and combining all available crossing techniques was developed to optimize procedural efficacy, efficiency, and safety, but there is limited published data on its outcomes. METHODS: We examined the procedural techniques and outcomes of 1036 consecutive CTO PCIs performed using a hybrid approach between 2012 and 2015 at 11 US centers. RESULTS: Mean age was 65 ± 10 years and 86% of the patients were men, with a high prevalence of diabetes mellitus (43%) and prior coronary artery bypass graft surgery (34%). Most target CTOs were located in the right coronary artery (59%), followed by the left anterior descending artery (23%) and the circumflex (19%). Dual injection was used in 71%. Technical success was achieved in 91% and a major procedural complication occurred in 1.7% of cases. The final successful crossing technique was antegrade wire escalation in 46%, antegrade dissection/re-entry in 26%, and retrograde in 28%. The initial crossing strategy was successful in 58% of the lesions, whereas 39% required an additional approach. Overall, antegrade wire escalation was used in 71%, antegrade dissection/re-entry in 36%, and the retrograde approach in 42% of procedures. Median contrast volume, fluoroscopy time, and air kerma radiation dose were 260 (200-360) ml, 44 (27-72) min, and 3.4 (2.0-5.4) Gray, respectively. CONCLUSION: Application of a hybrid approach to CTO crossing resulted in high success and low complication rates across a varied group of operators and hospital practice structures, supporting its expanding use in CTO PCI.

Moderate versus deep hypothermic circulatory arrest for elective aortic transverse hemiarch reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) with retrograde cerebral perfusion (DHCA group) has traditionally been the cerebral protection strategy during transverse hemiarch aortic reconstruction. Recently, we have adopted moderate hypothermic (≥ 25 °C) circulatory arrest (MHCA) with antegrade cerebral perfusion (MHCA group). We compared the outcomes for these two circulatory arrest management strategies. METHODS: From 2008 to 2012, in a concurrent series of 376 patients (DHCA, 301; MHCA, 75) undergoing transverse hemiarch for aortic aneurysm disease, incidences of concomitant root replacement (44% vs 47%, p = 0.8), and aortic valve replacement (29% vs 21%, p = 0.3) were similar, although atherosclerotic aneurysm pathology was present in patients in the MHCA group (71% vs 33%, p < 0.01). Antegrade cerebral perfusion was established via axillary artery or direct innominate artery cannulation. A database was prospectively maintained. RESULTS: MHCA group patients were older (66 ± 11 vs 60 ± 14 years; p < 0.01). Other demographics were similar. Aortic cross-clamp (128 ± 46 vs 163 ± 57 minutes, p < 0.01) and cardiopulmonary bypass (167 ± 49 vs 222 ± 61 minutes, p < 0.01) times were lower in the MHCA group. Transfusion requirements were significantly reduced with MHCA (38% vs 61%, p < 0.01), especially use of fresh frozen plasma and cryoprecipitate. Direct innominate artery cannulation did not result in any vascular or neurologic complication. Postoperative outcomes were similar. In-hospital and 30-day mortality was 1% in both groups. Stroke (0% vs 2%) and hemodialysis rates (0% vs 1%) were also similar. CONCLUSIONS: MHCA with antegrade cerebral perfusion yields excellent and equivalent outcomes to DHCA for elective aortic hemiarch reconstruction. MHCA significantly improves intraoperative times and, importantly, reduces transfusion requirements compared with DHCA with a retrograde cerebral perfusion strategy.

Prevalence and treatment of "balloon-uncrossable" coronary chronic total occlusions.

BACKGROUND: The frequency and outcomes of "balloon-uncrossable" coronary chronic total occlusions (CTOs) have received limited study. METHODS: We retrospectively examined 373 consecutive CTO percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) performed at our institution between 2005 and 2013 to determine the frequency and treatment of balloon-uncrossable CTOs. RESULTS: Mean age was 63.7 ± 8.3 years and 98.9% of the patients were men. Twenty-four patients (6.4%, 95% confidence intervals 4.2% to 9.4%) were found to have a balloon-uncrossable CTO. Compared to the other CTO PCI patients, those with balloon-uncrossable CTOs had similar clinical and angiographic characteristics. Successful crossing of the balloon-uncrossable CTO was achieved in 22 of 24 patients (91.7%) using a variety of techniques, such as successive balloon inflations (43.5%), microcatheter advancement (21.7%), laser (8.7%), techniques that increase guide catheter support (13.0%), and subintimal lesion crossing (13.0%). Patients with balloon-uncrossable CTOs had longer procedure time (184.5 ± 77.9 vs 134.0 ± 69.0 min, P<.01), fluoroscopy time (55.2 ± 24.9 vs 37.9 ± 20.8 min, P<.01), and received high contrast volume (404.4 ± 137.9 vs 351.7 ± 138.5 mL, P=.08), but had similar incidence of major complications (8.3% vs 3.2%, P=.25) as compared with patients who did not have balloon-uncrossable CTOs. CONCLUSION: Balloon-uncrossable CTOs are encountered in 6.4% of contemporary CTO PCIs and can be successfully treated in most patients using a variety of techniques.

Transradial approach for coronary chronic total occlusion interventions: Insights from a contemporary multicenter registry.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the impact of transradial access on the procedural outcomes of chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). BACKGROUND: The efficacy and safety of transradial access in CTO PCI has received limited study. METHODS: We compared the technique and outcomes of transradial vs. transfemoral access among 650 CTO PCI cases performed between January 2012 and March 2014 at 6 US centers. RESULTS: Most patients were men (87%) with high frequency of diabetes mellitus (42%) and prior coronary artery bypass graft surgery (36%). The CTO target vessel was the right coronary (59%), left anterior descending (20%), or circumflex (17%) artery. TR access was used in 110 (17%) of the 650 cases, as follows: bilateral radial access (63%); bilateral radial access plus unilateral or bilateral femoral access (7%); unilateral radial access plus unilateral or bilateral femoral access (26%); and unilateral radial access (4%). Six and eight French guide catheters were used through the radial and femoral artery, respectively. Compared to transfemoral, transradial cases had similar technical (92.6% vs. 93.0%, P = 0.87) and procedural (91.1% vs. 90.0%, P = 0.95) success and major complication rates (1.7% vs 1.8%, P = 0.99). However, transradial access was associated with higher mean procedure (142 ± 83 vs. 120 ± 60 min, P = 0.008) and fluoroscopy (58 ± 40 vs. 49 ± 31 min, P <0.026) time, and number of crossing approach changes (0.7 ± 1.0 vs. 0.5 ± 0.7, P = 0.008). CONCLUSION: Transradial CTO PCI can be performed with similar success and complication rates with transfemoral CTO PCI, but is associated with longer procedural and fluoroscopy times. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Aortic Annulus Diameter Affects Durability of the Repaired Bicuspid Aortic Valve.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: An investigation was made as to whether the preoperative aortic annular diameter affects the durability of bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) repair in patients who had undergone concomitant root stabilization with subcommissural annuloplasty (SCA) compared to valve-sparing root reimplantation (VSRR). METHODS: Among a retrospective review of 74 patients who underwent BAV repair between 2005 and 2012,42 had SCA and 32 had VSRR. RESULTS: The preoperative annulus was similar in the two groups (29 +/- 3 mm for SCA; 30 +/- 4 mm for VSRR, p = 0.3). Postoperative aortic insufficiency (AI) grade > or = 1+ was 100%, but five-year freedom from Al grade >1+ was lower in the SCA group (62 +/- 10% versus 92 +/- 6%, p = 0.02). On univariate analysis, a preoperative annulus 28 mm was predictive of recurrent Al grade >1+ in the SCA group (odds ratio 17.1, p = 0.05), but not in the VSRR group (3.31, p = 0.1). Consequently, SCA patients were evaluated by annular diameter 28 mm (n = 26) versus < or = 27 mm (n = 16). Five-year freedom from AI grade >1+ was lower for the 28 mm SCA subgroup (52 +/- 10% versus +/-3 +/- 6%, p = 0.02). Given this difference between the SCA subgroups, Al grade >1+ in the 28 mm SCA subgroup was compared to VSRR patients with annulus 28 mm ( 28 mm VSRR subgroup, n = 23). The five-year freedom from AI grade >1+ was significantly higher in the 28 mm VSRR subgrou+/- (86 +/- 10% versus 52 +/- 10%, p = 0.02), but simila < or = Sr in the 27 27 m< or = SCA and 527 mm VSRR subgroups (93 +/- 6% versus 100%, p = 0.4). CONCLUSION: For BAV patients with a preoperative aortic annulus 28 mm, SCA results in inferior midterm outcomes. VSRR or alternative annular stabilization techniques should be considered

Impact of timing on major complications after thoracic endovascular aortic repair for acute type B aortic dissection.

OBJECTIVE: Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has been shown to have survival benefit in patients with complicated type B dissection compared with open surgery or medical therapy. We analyze the impact of timing of intervention from the onset of symptoms to TEVAR, and its relation to complications. METHODS: Between 2005 and 2012, we performed 132 TEVARs for acute and subacute (<6 weeks) type B dissection; 186 other patients were managed with medical therapy only. Patients were followed in a clinical registry. Standard univariate and survival methods were used. RESULTS: Of the 132 TEVARs for type B dissection, 70 were performed within 48 hours of presentation (Acute-Early); 44 between 48 hours and 14 days from presentation (Acute-Delayed); and 18 between 14 days and 6 weeks of presentation (Subacute). Demographic characteristics were similar among groups. Severe complications were more common in the Early-Acute and Delayed-Acute patients than in the Subacute patients (P = .04) Retrograde type A dissection tended to be more common in the Acute-Early group. Overall survival was similar among groups. CONCLUSIONS: Delayed intervention appears to lower the risk of complications of TEVAR for aortic dissection in patients who are stable enough to wait. Among patients initially managed medically, new TEVAR indications were not uncommon, and such patients must be followed closely.

The efficacy and safety of the "hybrid" approach to coronary chronic total occlusions: insights from a contemporary multicenter US registry and comparison with prior studies.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for chronic total occlusion (CTO) is challenging and has been associated with low success rates. However, recent advancements in equipment and the flexibility to switch between multiple technical approaches during the same procedure ("hybrid" percutaneous algorithm) have dramatically increased the success of CTO-PCI. We sought to compare the contemporary procedural outcomes of hybrid CTO-PCI with previously published CTO-PCI studies. METHODS: The procedural outcomes of 497 consecutive CTO-PCIs performed between January 2012 and August 2013 at five high-volume centers in the United States were compared with the pooled success and complication rates reported in 39 prior CTO-PCI series that included ≥100 patients and were published after 2000. RESULTS: The baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics of the study patients were comparable to those of previous studies. Technical and procedural success was achieved in 455 cases (91.5%) and 451 cases (90.7%), respectively, and were significantly higher than the pooled technical and procedural success rates from prior studies (76.5%, P<.001 and 75.2%, P<.001, respectively). Major procedural complications occurred in 9/497 patients (1.8%) overall and included death (2 patients), acute myocardial infarction (5 patients), repeat target vessel PCI (1 patient), and tamponade requiring pericardiocentesis (2 patients). The incidence of major complications was similar to that of prior studies (pooled rate 2.0%; P=.72). CONCLUSION: Use of the hybrid approach to CTO-PCI is associated with higher success and similar complication rates compared to prior studies, supporting its expanded use for treating these challenging lesions.

Aortic and mitral valve replacement versus transcatheter aortic valve replacement in propensity-matched patients.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have suggested that transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) may have superior outcomes compared with aortic valve replacement (AVR) for high-risk patients with significant mitral regurgitation (MR). Considering significant MR is frequently addressed with a mitral valve repair or replacement (MVR) at the time of open aortic valve replacement, this study compares TAVR and AVR/MVR in propensity-matched pairs of patients with significant MR. METHODS: We evaluated all patients presenting with moderate or greater MR undergoing either TAVR or AVR/MVR at a single institution from 2002 to 2012. Patients who underwent other cardiac operations or had preoperative endocarditis were excluded. Of 306 patients in the AVR/MVR group and 147 patients in the TAVR group, propensity analysis matched 40 pairs of patients. Standard univariate, logistic regression, and propensity matching techniques were used. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between TAVR patients and AVR/MVR patients, respectively, in preoperative average age (76 ± 7.4 versus 78 ± 6.9 years, p = 0.68), ejection fraction (53 ± 15 versus 51 ± 17, p = 0.68), The Society of Thoracic Surgeons score (9.9 ± 3.1 versus 9.3 ± 3.4, p = 0.61), or 30-day mortality (7.5% versus 2.5%, p = 0.6). Postoperative MR was significantly improved for both TAVR and AVR/MVR, but AVR/MVR showed significantly greater improvement (-2.33 ± 1.23 versus -0.88 ± 0.79, p < 0.001). Among 30-day survivors, midterm survival was significantly better in the AVR/MVR group compared with the TAVR group (log rank p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: In a propensity-matched analysis of patients with significant MR, AVR/MVR and TAVR had equivalent perioperative outcomes, but AVR/MVR had more reduction in MR and may have superior midterm survival when compared with TAVR among 30-day survivors.

Factors associated with vascular complications in patients undergoing balloon-expandable transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement via open versus percutaneous approaches.

BACKGROUND: Vascular complications after transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement are common and associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Little is known about the effect of access approach on vascular complications. METHODS AND RESULTS: Between 2007 and 2013, 331 patients underwent transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement via open surgical (OS) or fully percutaneous (PC) approaches. Patient data and clinical outcomes were collected. Valve Academic Research Consortium-defined vascular complications were noted. Multivariable analysis with propensity matching was performed, and vascular complications, mortality, and length of stay were assessed. One hundred twenty patients were treated with the OS approach and 211 patients via the PC approach. There were fewer major vascular complications (11% versus 20%; P=0.03) and shorter length of stay (7.5 versus 9.9 days; P=0.003) in the PC group when compared with those in the OS group. In multivariable analysis, vascular complications were more likely in women (odds ratio, 2.2; P=0.02) and with increasing differences between sheath outer diameter and minimal artery diameter (overall vascular complications: odds ratio, 1.4; P=0.02 and major vascular complications: odds ratio, 2.0; P<0.001). Propensity-matched analysis demonstrated no difference in vascular complications between the OS and the PC groups (22% versus 19%; P=0.73) but significantly reduced length of stay in the PC group (7.9 versus 10.0 days; P=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement performed via the PC route is associated with similar risk of vascular complications and significantly lower postprocedural length of stay than the OS route. The degree of sheath oversizing with respect to iliofemoral minimal artery diameter and female sex are associated with vascular complications regardless of access approach.

Application of the "hybrid approach" to chronic total occlusions in patients with previous coronary artery bypass graft surgery (from a Contemporary Multicenter US registry).

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for chronic total occlusions (CTOs) has been traditionally associated with lower success rates in patients with previous coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). We sought to examine the success and complication rates of CTO PCI using the "hybrid" crossing algorithm among patients with a history of previous CABG. The procedural outcomes of 496 consecutive CTO PCIs performed at 5 high-volume PCI centers in the United States from January 2012 to August 2013 were assessed. The outcomes of patients with previous CABG were compared with those of patients without previous CABG. Compared with patients without previous CABG (n = 320), patients with previous CABG (n = 176, 35%) were older, had more coronary artery disease risk factors, and had less favorable baseline angiographic CTO characteristics. Technical and procedural success was slightly lower among patients with previous CABG (88.1% vs 93.4%, p = 0.044 and 87.5 vs 92.5%, p = 0.07, respectively). Patients with previous CABG more commonly underwent CTO PCI using the retrograde approach (39% vs 24%, respectively, p <0.001) and received higher air kerma radiation exposure (4.8 [interquartile range 3.0 to 6.4] vs 3.1 [1.9 to 5.3] Gray, p <0.001) and fluoroscopy time (59 [38 to 77] vs 34 [21 to 55] minutes, p <0.001). Major procedural complications were similar in the 2 groups: 2 of 176 (1.1%) patients with previous CABG versus 7 of 320 (2.1%) patients without previous CABG (p = 0.40). In conclusion, with application of the "hybrid" approach to CTO PCI, success was slightly lower, and complication rates were similar between patients with and without previous CABG.