Simultaneous implantation of MitraClip devices in a patient with severe mitral and tricuspid valve regurgitation.

We present a case of an 84-year old patient with severe mitral and tricuspid regurgitation with a lot of cormobidities who underwent a simultaneous transfemoral (one approach) mitral and tricuspid valve repair using the MitraClip system.

The use of the GuideLiner™ catheter as a child-in-mother technique: an initial single-center experience.

Recently, a new interventional guide catheter, the GuideLiner™ catheter, was introduced into the market as a strategy for tackling the problem of stent delivery failure. We implemented this simplified child-in-mother technique in a series of 16 challenging coronary interventions. Balloon and stent delivery was successfully achieved in all cases and the device was both simple to deploy and remove. Apart from two cases of vessel dissection that were managed successfully with stent implantation, no other serious procedural complications were reported.

The use of rotational atherectomy and drug-eluting stents in the treatment of heavily calcified coronary lesions.

INTRODUCTION: The treatment of calcified coronary artery lesions is a challenge for percutaneous angioplasty. Rotational atherectomy is an established technique for the effective modification of these lesions prior to conventional angioplasty and stent implantation. Drug-eluting stents (DES) have shown encouraging results in complex lesions and high-risk patients. METHODS: This retrospective study investigated the immediate and long-term prognosis after treatment with rotational atherectomy (RotA) and DES implantation in 184 patients with calcified coronary artery lesions. RESULTS: During follow up (mean 49 months), 7 patients died (1 from a non-cardiac cause) and the incidence of major adverse cardiac events was 14.85%. Only 4.15% of patients underwent a new angioplasty procedure. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of RotA and DES in calcified coronary artery lesions has a very good angiographic result and a satisfactory clinical outcome.

Rotablation in the drug eluting era: immediate and long-term results from a single center experience.

The aim of this study was to investigate the immediate and long-term outcome of patients who were treated with rotational atherectomy (RA) to facilitate the delivery of drug eluting stents (DES) in heavily calcified lesions. We analyzed 150 consecutive patients who underwent RA and subsequently DES implantation in our institution. The patients had heavily calcified coronary artery lesions requiring plaque modification prior to conventional angioplasty and stent implantation. Rotational atherectomy was performed using the standard Boston Scientific Rotablator system. A 2-burr stepped approach was selected in most of the cases. Following successful modification of the plaque, the angioplasty was performed with a balloon at low pressure to avoid dissection and a DES was implanted. The mean follow up period was 3 years (max. 78 months). Follow-up data included all cause death, stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), recurrent angina, re-hospitalization, target lesion revascularization (TLR), target vessel revascularization (TVR), and long-term duration of dual antiplatelet therapy. The rate of recurrent angina and MI during follow up was low (3.3%) and the overall major adverse cardiac events (MACE) rate was 11.3%. No MACE occurred during hospitalization. There was no relationship between discontinuation of clopidogrel and occurrence of death or MI. The combined approach of RA-DES has a favorable effect when dealing with heavily calcified lesions in both the angiographic and clinical outcomes. No safety concerns are observed up to 6 years.

Percutaneous closure of atrial septal defects: immediate and mid-term results.

INTRODUCTION: The incidence of percutaneous closure of secundum atrial septal defects (ASD) and patent foramen ovale (PFO), which has become an established therapy, is constantly increasing. In this study, which is the first in the Greek literature, we present the immediate and mid-term results from this intervention in our center. METHODS: From April 2004 to April 2008, 103 patients underwent percutaneous closure of an ASD or PFO using Amplatzer closure devices. Thirty were male, the mean age was 37 +/- 15.5 years, and the mean follow-up period 21.7 +/- 14.8 months. The procedure was successful in 102 of the above patients; 69 (mean age 36.3 years +/- 17.1, 81% female) underwent secundum ASD closure, while 33 patients (mean age 39.1 +/- 10.5 years, 16 female and 17 male) underwent percutaneous closure of a PFO due to cryptogenic stroke. RESULTS: There were no major complications during the procedure (death, device embolization or need for immediate cardiac surgery). There were minor complications in 8 (7.7%) patients (bleeding at the puncture site, transient ST elevation in the inferior leads, multiple atrial and ventricular ectopics). The transient ST elevation in the inferior leads appeared in 5 patients (5%) and was probably due to air embolization. This transient complication completely resolved within 3 minutes. During the follow-up period, no patient had a major complication (cardiac rupture, device embolization, thrombus formation, thromboembolism or infective endocarditis). Most importantly, in the patients who underwent PFO closure there were no recurrences of cryptogenic stroke during the follow-up period (24.3 +/- 14.5 months). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that using Amplatzer closure devices for atrial septal communications is both safe and effective, with sustained results over a maximum follow-up period of four years. Appropriate patient selection, as well as accurate device sizing fitting the dimensions of the defect, are important factors for the success and the safety of the method.

Rheolytic thrombectomy in patients with acute coronary syndrome and large thrombus burden: initial and mid-term results from a single centre experience.

INTRODUCTION: The presence of a large intracoronary thrombus burden is a major complicating factor during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The use of rheolytic thrombectomy (RT) has been proposed to prevent thrombus-related complications, with conflicting results. The purpose of this study was to identify the feasibility and safety of this approach. METHODS: We conducted a single-centre, retrospective, observational case-control study, comparing the outcomes of PCI in 26 consecutive patients with ACS and a large thrombus burden who underwent RT to those of a control group of 26 patients, matched with regard to artery location and initial TIMI flow grade. RESULTS: Despite the higher prevalence of acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction and the larger thrombus burden in the RT group, there was less incidence of distal embolisation/no-reflow and less use of vasoactive intracoronary agents. The final TIMI flow was identical in both groups. There was no difference between the two groups in the in-hospital and mid-term incidence of major adverse coronary events. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the use of RT in patients with a large thrombus burden during acute PCI was both feasible and safe and reduced the incidence of initial no-reflow phenomenon.

Prognostic significance of right ventricular diastolic function in thalassaemia major.

While left ventricular (LV) restrictive filling pattern is an ominous echocardiographic finding in thalassaemia major (TM), the prognostic significance of right ventricular (RV) diastolic function in patients with TM has not been thoroughly investigated. We studied 45 TM asymptomatic transfusion-dependent patients with normal LV systolic function by Doppler echocardiography. The 15-year cumulative survival rate was 34% in patients with RV restrictive filling pattern (RFP) and 82% in patients with RV non-RFP (log-rank = 10.41, p = 0.0013). Doppler estimation of RV filling pattern is very important in evaluating the prognosis of TM patients and should be performed routinely and using a standardised followup protocol.

Modified (Valsalva graft) aortic root reimplantation for successful repair of pulmonary autograft aneurysm after Ross procedure.

Dilatation of the pulmonary autograft after the Ross procedure is a possible complication, necessitating aortic valve replacement. We present a case of a patient who developed pulmonary autograft dilatation and was treated successfully with valve-sparing aortic root reimplantation with a Valsalva graft.

In-vivo validation of spatially correct three-dimensional reconstruction of human coronary arteries by integrating intravascular ultrasound and biplane angiography.

OBJECTIVES: The in-vivo validation of geometrically correct three-dimensional reconstruction of human coronary arteries by integrating intravascular ultrasound and biplane coronary angiography has not been adequately investigated. The purpose of this study was to describe the reconstruction method and investigate its in-vivo feasibility and accuracy. METHODS: In 17 coronary arteries (mean length, 85.7+/-17.1 mm) from nine patients, an intravascular ultrasound procedure along with a biplane coronary angiography was performed. From each angiographic projection, a single end-diastolic frame was selected in order to reconstruct the intravascular ultrasound catheter trajectory in space. In each end-diastolic intravascular ultrasound image, the lumen and media-adventitia contours were detected semi-automatically by an active contour algorithm. Each pair of contours was located on the catheter trajectory appropriately and interpolated with the adjacent pairs creating a three-dimensional volume of the arterial lumen and wall. The reconstructed lumen was back-projected onto both angiographic planes and the agreement between the back-projected and the angiographic luminal outlines was calculated. RESULTS: The angiogram-derived catheter length showed very high correlation (y=0.97 x + 1.8, P<0.001) and agreement with the corresponding pullback-derived values. Accordingly, the semi-automated segmentation of intravascular ultrasound images was also in significant correlation (r> or =0.96, P<0.001) and agreement with the reference manual tracing. The back-projected luminal borders showed good overall association with the corresponding angiographic ones (r=0.78, P<0.001) as well as remarkable agreement. CONCLUSIONS: Spatially correct three-dimensional reconstruction of human coronary arteries constitutes an imaging method with considerably high in-vivo feasibility and accuracy.

Ross procedure: medium-term results.

INTRODUCTION: The Ross procedure is a safe alternative option for aortic valve replacement in selected patients. Here we present the medium-term results of our experience with this procedure. METHODS: Between December 1998 and January 2004, 21 patients (16 male, 5 female, mean age 42 years) underwent aortic valve replacement using the Ross operation. Indications for operation were aortic stenosis in 5 patients, aortic regurgitation in 5 patients, aortic stenosis and regurgitation in 9 patients, acute septic endocarditis of a native aortic valve in 1 patient and of a mechanical aortic valve in 1 patient. The root replacement technique was used in 17 patients (81%) and the subcoronary insertion technique in 4 patients (19%). RESULTS: Hospital mortality was 4.7% (1 patient) and late mortality is zero. Mean follow up duration was 4 years (range 1-6 years). On follow up all of the patients were in New York Heart Association class I. One patient developed neo-aortic root dilatation (5.1 cm) with mild neo-aortic valve regurgitation and underwent a modified David I procedure using a Valsalva graft. None of the patients had a gradient of more than 10 mmHg through the pulmonary autograft. Sixteen patients had no aortic insufficiency, while mild aortic regurgitation developed in three patients. Pulmonary valve regurgitation developed in 11 patients (range 8-75 mmHg) but only one patient (75 mmHg) developed significant asymptomatic stenosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our experience with the Ross procedure suggests that aortic root replacement with a pulmonary autograft can be performed safely in adult patients. Pulmonary homograft degeneration requiring reintervention might be a rare complication.

Survival in thalassaemia major patients.

BACKGROUND: The present study evaluated the prognostic significance of Doppler-demonstrated left ventricular (LV) restrictive filling pattern (RFP) in patients with thalassaemia major (TM), which carries an adverse cardiovascular prognosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study group comprised 45 asymptomatic transfusion-dependent patients with TM and normal LV systolic function. All patients were chelated with desferrioxamine. They were regularly evaluated by clinical and Doppler-echocardiographic studies throughout the 15-year follow-up period. The patients were categorized into 2 groups according to baseline data: those with LVRFP and those with LV non-RFP. The incidence of cardiac death in both groups was analyzed. The impact of chelation therapy on the ventricular filling pattern and survival was also examined. Nineteen patients (42.2%) had LVRFP and 26 (57.8%) had LV non-RFP. During follow-up 11 patients died from cardiac causes; 8 of them (72.8%) initially had LVRFP and 3 (27.2%) had LV non-RFP. LVRFP was significantly associated with mortality (p=0.018). Poor compliance with chelation therapy was significantly associated with LVRFP (p=0.007) and cardiac mortality (p=0.003). CONCLUSIONS: LVRFP is an important predictor of cardiac mortality in patients with TM. Poor compliance with chelation therapy was significantly associated with both a RFP (p=0.007) and cardiac mortality (p=0.003).

Clinical and angiographic follow-up after overlapping implantation of polytetrafluoroethylene covered stents with drug eluting stents.

UNLABELLED: Polytetrafluoroethylene-covered stents (PCS) were recently proposed as a new modality mainly for the treatment of saphenous vein graft lesions, but restenosis occurring principally at the edges restricted their clinical use in the management of coronary aneurysms and perforations. AIMS: To investigate the safety and effectiveness of the overlapping implantation of drug-eluting stents (DES) with PCS in clinical scenarios where the latter are indicated. METHODS: Since April 2002, when DES were introduced in clinical practice, 14 consecutive patients were -treated with overlapping implantation of PCS with DES in 3 centres. Seven patients were treated for coronary aneurysms, 5 for coronary perforations and 2 for branch occlusion. The incidence of any major adverse cardiac events defined as death, myocardial infarction (MI), and target vessel revascularisation (TVR) was retrospectively evaluated. A control angiography was available in 13 patients, and quantitative coronary angiography was performed before and after the intervention and at follow-up to evaluate restenosis rate and late loss. RESULTS: At a mean clinical follow-up of 21.9 months there were no deaths or MI's, while one patient with occlusive restenosis underwent successful TVR (7.7%). At angiographic follow-up (mean: 9.7 months) there was one patient with restenosis (7.7%), who had a total occlusion. After excluding the patient with the occlusive restenosis mean diameter stenosis was 22.4+/-11.7% and late loss was 0.18+/-0.35 mm at follow-up. No early or late stent thrombosis occurred. CONCLUSION: Overlapping implantation of PCS with DES seems to be a safe and effective therapeutic modality demonstrating a low incidence of clinical and angiographic restenosis.