Simultaneous presence of a large coronary aneurysm and ectasia in a young patient with myocardial infarction--a case report.

Idiopathic or congenital coronary artery ectasias and aneurysms are uncommon forms of coronary artery disease. The prognosis and optimal management of such patients remains unknown. The authors describe the case of an otherwise healthy 30-year-old man with concomitant severe right coronary artery ectasia and left main coronary artery aneurysm who sustained a mild anterior myocardial infarction. There was no obstructive coronary artery disease, and no cause for the lesions could be identified. Chronic anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapy were initiated with resolution of symptoms.

New technique for prepping the Johnson & Johnson stent delivery system.

Current prepping of the Johnson & Johnson stent deployment balloon can be suboptimal. This simple technique allows for an improved preparation of the stent delivery balloon prior to deployment, resulting in less air in the balloon during inflation.

Coronary artery stenting during acute myocardial infarction in patients treated with IIb/IIIa anti-platelet antibodies: early outcome results.

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty has been shown to be an effective treatment for acute myocardial infarction. Despite encouraging results, this form of treatment is limited by a high incidence of recurrent ischemia either due to early rethrombosis or to restenosis of the infarct vessel within the first six months. Coronary artery stents decrease restenosis but are considered contraindicated in situations were thrombus is present. c7E3 is a potent anti-platelet agent which inhibits thrombus formation. We developed 44 stents as part of angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction in 18 patients given c7E3. All patients obtained normal flow angiographically and no stent thrombosis was observed.