Clinical Outcomes and Associations With Radial to Femoral Crossover in ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Radial access during primary percutaneous coronary intervention is associated with reduced mortality and major bleeding compared with femoral access and is the recommended access site. Nevertheless, failure to secure radial access may necessitate crossover to femoral access. This study aimed to identify the associations with crossover from radial to femoral access in all comers with ST-elevation myocardial infarction and to compare the clinical outcomes with those patients who did not require crossover. From 2016 to 2021, a total of 1,202 patients presented to our institute with ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Associations, clinical outcomes, and independent predictors of crossover from radial to femoral access were identified. From 1,202 patients, radial access was used in 1,138 patients (94.7%) and crossover to femoral access occurred in 64 patients (5.3%). Patients who required crossover to femoral access had higher rates of access site complications and longer length of stay in the hospital. Inpatient mortality was higher in the group requiring a crossover. This study identified 3 independent predictors of crossover from radial to femoral access in primary percutaneous coronary intervention: cardiogenic shock, cardiac arrest before arrival at the catheterization laboratory, and previous coronary artery bypass grafting. Biochemical infarct size and peak creatinine was also found to be higher in those requiring crossover. In conclusion, crossover in this study portended an increased rate of access site complications, greatly prolonged length of stay, and a significantly higher risk of death.

Mechanical Chest Compressions and Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump Combination for Refractory Ventricular Fibrillation During Primary PCI.

This case highlights the successful resuscitation of a 43-year-old man with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and refractory ventricular fibrillation by using a combination of mechanical chest compressions and intra-aortic balloon pump insertion. This bailout strategy facilitated primary multivessel percutaneous coronary intervention in a center without on-site extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.).

Outcomes of nurse-led clinic for patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention: A retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: With an increasing prevalence of coronary heart disease, secondary prevention forms a major cornerstone of management. A dedicated nurse-led clinic for patients post percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) offers a great opportunity to address risk factors in order to reduce cardiovascular events. PURPOSE: To determine the impact of a nurse-led clinic follow up of patients post PCI in relation to the 30 day mortality rate and re-admission, and patient satisfaction. Risk factor assessment, compliance with dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT), and interventions at the clinic visit were also assessed. METHODS: A retrospective review of parameters recorded at clinic appointments from January 2015-December 2017. The data of patients were examined for baseline characteristics, risk factor assessment, and interventions at the clinic visit. Thirty day mortality and re-admission rates and patient satisfaction were major outcomes. RESULTS: 1325 individual patient records were retrospectively reviewed in our clinic. Mean age was 64 and 78% were males. The indications for PCI were STEMI (22.7%), NSTEMI (21.9%), and unstable and stable angina (43.1%). 5 patients (0.4%) died and 132 patients (10%) were re-admitted within 30 days after the follow-up visit. However, only 24 (1.8%) of the re-admissions were due to cardiac reasons. At the clinic appointment, 852 (64.3%) patients had non-pharmacological intervention and 473 (35.7%) patients had a pharmacological intervention. 712 (53.7%) patients had LDL-C above target and their statin therapy was amended accordingly. CONCLUSION: Nurse-led PCI clinics provide satisfactory assessment and management of risk factors achieving high patient satisfaction rates without increased risk of poor outcomes.

Performing diagnostic radial access coronary angiography on uninterrupted direct oral anticoagulant therapy: a prospective analysis.

Purpose: We sought to assess the safety of performing diagnostic radial access coronary angiography with uninterrupted anticoagulation on patients receiving direct oral anticoagulant therapy. Background: Direct oral anticoagulants have become a popular choice for the prevention of thromboembolism. Risk factors for thromboembolism are common among cardiovascular conditions and indications for direct oral anticoagulant therapy as well as coronary angiography often overlap in patients. It has been hypothesised that uninterrupted direct oral anticoagulant therapy would increase haemorrhagic and access site complications, however data in this area is limited. Methods: This was a prospective observational analysis of 49 patients undergoing elective diagnostic coronary angiography while receiving uninterrupted anticoagulation with direct oral anticoagulants. This population was compared with a control group of 49 unselected patients presenting to the cardiology service for elective diagnostic coronary angiography. Continuous variables were analysed using the independent samples t-test and categorical variables using Pearson's χ2 test. Results: The mean duration of radial compression for the control group was 235.8±62.8 min and for the uninterrupted direct oral anticoagulant group was 258.4±56.5 min. There was no significant difference in mean duration of radial compression (p=0.07; 95% CI=-1.4 to 46.5). There was also no difference in the complication rate between the two groups (p=1). Conclusions: We observed similar complication rates and radial artery compression time postangiography in both groups. This small prospective observational study suggests that uninterrupted continuation of direct oral anticoagulants during coronary angiography is safe. Larger randomised control studies in this area would be beneficial.

Anchor-balloon technique to facilitate stent delivery via the GuideLiner catheter in percutaneous coronary intervention.

AIM: The GuideLiner (GL) is a widely used catheter primarily in complex percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Deep seating of the GL and distal stent placement may be facilitated by the anchor-balloon technique (ABT). METHODS: We aimed to prospectively analyze procedural details, technical success, complications and in-hospital outcome in patients who underwent PCI using the GL catheter and the ABT. RESULTS: A total of 118 patients underwent PCI with the aid of the GL and ABT. Procedure success rate was 95% (112/118) and only seven patients (5.9%) encountered complications. ABT was indicated and successfully used in 29 patients (25%). CONCLUSION: GL and ABT successfully aided stent delivery in unfavorable and heavily calcified lesions which otherwise may have been considered unsuitable for PCI.

Randomized study comparing incidence of radial artery occlusion post-percutaneous coronary intervention between two conventional compression devices using a novel air-inflation technique.

AIM: To compare post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) radial artery occlusion (RAO) incidence between two conventional radial artery compression devices using a novel air-inflation technique. METHODS: One hundred consecutive patients post-PCI were randomized 1:1 to Safeguard or TR band compression devices. Post-radial sheath removal, each compression device was inflated with additional 2 mL of air above index bleeding point during air-filled device application and gradually down-titrated accordingly. RAO was defined as absence of Doppler flow signal performed at 24 h and at 6 wk post-PCI. Patients with missing data were excluded. Statistical significance was defined as P < 0.05. RESULTS: All patients had 6F radial sheath inserted. No significant differences were observed between Safeguard Radial (n = 42) vs TR band (n = 42) in terms of age (63 ± 11 years vs 67 ± 11 years), clinical presentation (electives, n = 18 vs n = 16; acute coronary syndrome, n = 24 vs n = 26) and total procedural heparin (7778 ± 2704 IU vs 7825 ± 2450 IU). RAO incidence was not significantly different between groups at 24 h (2% vs 0%, P = 0.32) and 6 wk (0%, both). CONCLUSION: Safeguard Radial and TR band did not demonstrate significant between-group differences in short-term RAO incidence. Lack of evidence of RAO in all post-PCI patients at 6 wk follow-up, regardless of radial compression device indicate advantage of using the novel and pragmatic air-inflation technique. Further work is required to more accurately confirm these findings.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy after a dancing session: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Stress-induced (Takotsubo) cardiomyopathy is a rare form of cardiomyopathy which presents in a manner similar to that of acute coronary syndrome. This sometimes leads to unnecessary thrombolysis therapy. The pathogenesis of this disease is still poorly understood. We believe that reporting all cases of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy will contribute to a better understanding of this disease. Here, we report a patient who, in the absence of any recent stressful events in her life, developed the disease after a session of dancing. CASE PRESENTATION: A 69-year-old Caucasian woman presented with features suggestive of acute coronary syndrome shortly after a session of dancing. Echocardiography and a coronary angiogram showed typical features of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy and our patient was treated accordingly. Eight weeks later, her condition resolved completely and the results of echocardiography were totally normal. CONCLUSIONS: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, though transient, is a rare and serious condition. Although it is commonly precipitated by stressful life events, these are not necessarily present. Our patient was enjoying one of her hobbies (that is, dancing) when she developed the disease. This case has particular interest in medicine, especially for the specialties of cardiology and emergency medicine. We hope that it will add more information to the literature about this rare condition.