Vulnerable carina anatomy and ostial lesions in the left anterior descending coronary artery after floating-stent treatment.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Percutaneous coronary intervention for ostial lesions of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) remains a complex procedure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of a method of treatment that we have termed the floating-stent approach. METHODS: The study involved 71 patients with ostial LAD lesions who underwent implantation of a drug-eluting stent in the LAD, which totally or partially covered the ostium of the circumflex artery. No further interventions were planned. Intravascular ultrasound was performed both at baseline and after treatment in 49 patients. All were followed up clinically (16+/-12 months). RESULTS: Angiography of the LAD demonstrated an immediate success rate of 100%. However, significant focal damage was observed in the circumflex ostium in 7 (10%) patients, three of whom needed treatment. The mean protrusion of the stent over the origin of the circumflex artery was 2.48+/-0.91 mm. The only predictor of circumflex ostial injury identified in the study was the carina having a spiky appearance on intravascular ultrasound, visible in the longitudinal view. We termed this feature the "eyebrow sign". Carina displacement was responsible for the focal damage in 13 of the 14 patient with this feature. Overall, the major cardiac adverse event rate during follow-up was 4%. CONCLUSIONS: Use of the floating-stent technique for treating LAD ostial lesions was straightforward and gave excellent medium-term RESULTS: Intravascular ultrasound showed that patients who had a carina with specific vulnerable anatomical features were predisposed to circumflex artery ostial injury.

Anatomía vulnerable de la carina en lesiones ostiales de la arteria coronaria descendente anterior tratadas con stent flotante / Vulnerable carina anatomy and ostial lesions in the left anterior descending coronary artery after floating-stent treatment

Introducción y objetivos. El tratamiento percutáneo de las lesiones ostiales de la arteria coronaria descendente anterior (DA) es complejo. El propósito de este estudio es valorar la utilidad de una estrategia de tratamiento que denominamos stent flotante. Métodos. Se estudió a 71 pacientes con estenosis ostial de la DA tratados mediante el implante de un stent farmacoactivo en la DA, cubriendo parcialmente el origen de la arteria circunfleja (Cx), sin planificar manipulaciones ulteriores. Se realizó un estudio ultrasónico basal y tras tratamiento en 49 pacientes. Se hizo seguimiento clínico prospectivo en todos los pacientes (16 ± 12 meses). Resultados. El éxito angiográfico inmediato en la DA fue del 100%. Se observó daño focal significativo en el ostium de la Cx en 7 (10%) pacientes, de los que 3 precisaron tratamiento. El grado de protrusión del stent cubriendo el origen de la Cx fue de 2,48 ± 0,91 mm. En el estudio de predictores de daño del ostium de la Cx, se identificó la presencia de un patrón ultrasónico de la carina, visible en la reconstrucción longitudinal que, por su forma puntiaguda, denominamos «signo de la ceja». Su desplazamiento fue la causa del daño en 13 de los 14 pacientes. La suma de eventos cardiacos mayores al seguimiento fue del 4%. Conclusiones. La técnica del stent flotante en el tratamiento de las lesiones ostiales de la DA es simple, con excelente resultado a medio plazo. El estudio ultrasónico identifica a los pacientes con una anatomía vulnerable de la carina, predictora del daño en la arteria circunfleja (AU)

Introduction and objectives. Percutaneous coronary intervention for ostial lesions of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) remains a complex procedure. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of a method of treatment that we have termed the floating-stent approach. Methods. The study involved 71 patients with ostial LAD lesions who underwent implantation of a drug-eluting stent in the LAD, which totally or partially covered the ostium of the circumflex artery. No further interventions were planned. Intravascular ultrasound was performed both at baseline and after treatment in 49 patients. All were followed up clinically (16±12 months). Results. Angiography of the LAD demonstrated an immediate success rate of 100%. However, significant focal damage was observed in the circumflex ostium in 7 (10%) patients, three of whom needed treatment. The mean protrusion of the stent over the origin of the circumflex artery was 2.48±0.91 mm. The only predictor of circumflex ostial injury identified in the study was the carina having a spiky appearance on intravascular ultrasound, visible in the longitudinal view. We termed this feature the «eyebrow sign». Carina displacement was responsible for the focal damage in 13 of the 14 patient with this feature. Overall, the major cardiac adverse event rate during follow-up was 4%. Conclusions. Use of the floating-stent technique for treating LAD ostial lesions was straightforward and gave excellent medium-term results. Intravascular ultrasound showed that patients who had a carina with specific vulnerable anatomical features were predisposed to circumflex artery ostial injury (AU)

Safety and predictors of complications with a new accelerated dobutamine stress echocardiography protocol.

BACKGROUND: This study sought to document the safety of a new accelerated dobutamine-atropine stress echocardiography protocol and to analyze its complications. METHODS: Dobutamine-atropine stress echocardiography studies were performed using an incremental dobutamine infusion protocol from 20 to 40 microg/kg/min in 3-minute stages and followed by atropine. RESULTS: A total of 962 patients were included. Mean age was 64 +/- 11 years and 584 were male (61%). Mean ejection fraction was 62 +/- 10%. Complications included hypertensive responses in 66 patients (7%), arrhythmias in 26 (2.7%), and symptomatic hypotension in 16 (1.7%). No patient developed heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, ventricular fibrillation, or died. The independent predictors of hypertensive responses were age, baseline systolic blood pressure, and treatment with nitrates. The independent predictors of arrhythmias were history of hypertension, previous coronary artery disease, and baseline heart rate. CONCLUSIONS: This accelerated dobutamine-atropine stress echocardiography protocol is safe in a low-risk population and has a rate of complications similar to that reported for the standard protocol.

Dobutamine stress echocardiography in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease in women with chest pain: comparison with different noninvasive tests.

BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of coronary artery disease(CAD) in women remains elusive. The classical diagnostic armamentarium has been found to be very limited. Dobutamine stress echocardiography has emerged as a powerful test in assessing CAD in the general population, but most studies failed to include women. HYPOTHESIS: The accuracy of dobutamine stress echocardiography in the diagnosis of CAD in women with chest pain is high and superior to dipyridamole echocardiography, exercise electrocardiography, and sestamibi single-photon emission tomography (MIBI-SPECT) scintigraphy. METHODS: We studied 99 consecutive women with chest pain and no previous history of CAD who underwent dobutamine echocardiography and coronary angiography. We also compared these results with those of dipyridamole echocardiography in 63 patients. exercise stress testing in 83 (48 conclusive), and MIBI-SPECT scintigraphy during dobutamine infusion in 54. RESULTS: Significant CAD was found in 42 women. Sensitivity and specificity of dobutamine stress echocardiography were 69 and 89%, respectively. Dipyridamole echocardiography showed similar accuracy (sensitivity 72% and specificity 94%). Finally, sensitivity of exercise test and MIBI-SPECT was similar (76 and 88%, respectively) and specificity was lower (53 and 57%, respectively). After excluding patients known to have a high incidence of false positive results, MIBI-SPECT specificity rose up to 80%. CONCLUSION: Dobutamine stress echocardiography and dipyridamole echocardiography bear a high diagnostic accuracy in women with chest pain. MIBI-SPECT is also a useful tool after excluding subgroups with a high incidence of false positive results.

Effectiveness of percutaneous device occlusion for atrial septal defect in adult patients with pulmonary hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Adult patients with atrial septal defect (ASD) and pulmonary hypertension have a more advanced degree of disease, frequently having functional class deterioration and atrial arrhythmias when they are aged >40 years. Surgery at this age prolongs life expectancy and limits functional deterioration. Although percutaneous ASD device occlusion is an accepted alternative to surgery, there is limited information on the immediate and long-term effects of device occlusion in middle-aged and elderly patients with ASD and pulmonary hypertension. METHODS: From a total of 101 patients with secundum ASD who were receiving treatment with percutaneous device occlusion, we selected for analysis 29 adult patients (mean age 56 +/- 14 years) with a baseline peak pulmonary pressure of >40 mm Hg (mean 65 +/- 23 mm Hg). Three of the patients had suprasystemic pulmonary pressure and a bidirectional shunt. Six patients were asymptomatic at treatment. The remaining 23 had different degrees of dyspnea; 14 of them had an advanced New York Heart Association functional class (III-IV). Twelve patients had chronic atrial fibrillation. At cardiac catheterization, the mean ratio of pulmonary to systemic flow was 1.8 +/- 0.5, and the pulmonary-to-systemic pressure ratio was 0.66 +/- 0.22. The mean diameter of the defect, as evaluated by the stretching balloon method, was 26 +/- 7 mm. All patients received an Amplatzer septal occluder (Golden Valley, Minn). Seven patients had combined therapeutic procedures for associated anomalies before the implant: mitral balloon valvuloplasty (n = 1), stent coronary revascularization (n = 1), stent in pulmonary vein stenosis (n = 1), and internal catheter defibrillation (n = 4). After treatment, patients were followed up by clinical and echocardiographic Doppler studies every 6 months. RESULTS: Immediately after the implantation, the peak systolic pulmonary pressure significantly decreased to 54 +/- 21 mm Hg (P <.001). A clear improvement in functional status was observed after the treatment in all symptomatic patients, especially in those with refractory heart failure. There were no major complications. Six patients who had atrial fibrillation at baseline study recovered to a stable sinus rhythm after treatment, and it was maintained at discharge. Complete ASD occlusion by echocardiographic Doppler at discharge was observed in 28 patients (97%). After a mean follow up of 21 +/- 14 months, clinical improvement persisted in all previously symptomatic patients, and the peak systolic pulmonary pressure, obtained by echocardiographic Doppler, further decreased to 31 +/- 11 mm Hg (P <.001) compared with baseline and immediately after hemodynamic measurements. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that percutaneous device occlusion of ASD in adult patients with pulmonary hypertension is safe and effective and provides significant and prolonged relief.