0000000000133097
AUTHOR
Salvatore D. Tomasello
Insights from Experiences on Antiplatelet Drugs in Stroke Prevention: A Review
Reduction of hazard risk of cerebral ischemic event (stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA)) represents the hard point to be achieved from primary or secondary preventive strategy in the best clinical practice. However, results from clinical trials, recommendations, guidelines, systematic review, expert opinions, and meta-analysis debated on the optimal pharmacotherapy to achieve the objective. Aspirin and a number of antiplatelet agents, alone or in combination, have been considered from large trials focused on stroke prevention. The present review summarizes, discusses results from trials, and focuses on the benefits or disadvantages originating from antiplatelet drugs. Sections of the r…
Highlights and essentials from the first "experts-live" course of the EuroCTO club
Chronic total occlusions (CTOs) are frequently encountered during diagnostic coronary catheterisation. However, there is still confusion regarding the indication for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in this lesion subset, mainly because it is cumbersome and the prognostic impact of revascularisation in these patients remains unclear. Many studies have now shown the long term clinical benefits after CTO PCI1-3; still, with procedural complexity, high radiation exposure to both the patient and the operator, high costs and lower procedural success rates, most patients with CTO are managed medically or referred for bypass graft surgery – regardless of the severity of symptoms and extent…
A novel 3-d reconstruction system for the assessment of bifurcation lesions treated by the mini-crush technique.
Background: Conventional two-dimensional angiography lacks the ability to properly image the true bifurcation geometry, and its percutaneous coronary intervention-induced changes in the clinical setting. Methods and Results: A novel three-dimensional reconstruction system was investigated by retrospectively analyzing 39 lesions in 35 consecutive patients with coronary bifurcation disease treated with the mini-crush technique. At baseline, significant correlations were proved between two- and three-dimensional systems in terms of either reference vessel diameter (R 2 = 0.68 and 0.29 for main and side branches, respectively), minimum lumen diameter (R 2 = 0.73 and 0.36), stenosis diameter (R …
Long-term follow-up after drug eluting stent implantation in left main trifurcations
Aims: Trifurcation lesions, which are mostly observed in distal left main (LM), represent a technical challenge for interventional cardiologists. We sought to determine the feasibility and long-term clinical outcome of drug eluting stent (DES) implantation in patients with LM coronary trifurcation lesions. Methods and results: All patients with clinically significant de novo LM trifurcation lesions, who refused coronary artery bypass surgery and were considered eligible for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), were consecutively enrolled in this study from November 2005 to February 2007. Eleven patients (65±9 years, 91% men) met all the inclusion criteria and underwent LM trifurcation …
Appropriateness of percutaneous revascularization of coronary chronic total occlusions: an overview
Coronary chronic total occlusions (CTOs) are commonly encountered in patients undergoing coronary angiography. Several observational studies have demonstrated that successful CTO revascularization is associated with better cardiovascular outcomes and enhanced quality of life (QOL). However, in the absence of randomized trials, its prognostic benefit for patients remains debated. Over the past decade, the interest of the interventional community in CTO percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has exponentially grown due to important developments in dedicated equipment and techniques, resulting in high success and low complication rates. Both European and American guidelines have assigned a c…
Recanalization of complex coronary chronic total occlusions using high-frequency vibrational energy CROSSER catheter as first-line therapy: A single center experience
Background: Several studies have illustrated the safety and the procedural outcome of high-frequency vibrational energy in guidewire refractory chronic total occlusions (CTOs). Aim: To evaluate the advantage of high-frequency vibrational energy device (CROSSER Catheter) use in coronary complex CTO revascularization as primary strategy. Methods: CROSSER was used as a primary approach if four or more unfavorable angiographic features were observed in the CTO lesions. Results: From May 2007 to February 2009, a CTO percutaneous intervention attempt was performed in 178 lesions of 171 patients (60.1 ± 8.9 age with 49.4 ± 7.2% in ejection fraction). Among these, the CROSSER was used in 46 complex…
Management strategies in patients affected by chronic total occlusions: results from the Italian Registry of Chronic Total Occlusions
Background Through contemporary literature, the optimal strategy to manage coronary chronic total occlusions (CTOs) remains under debate. Objectives The aim of the Italian Registry of Chronic Total Occlusions (IRCTO) was to provide data on prevalence, characteristics, and outcome of CTO patients according to the management strategy. Methods The IRCTO is a prospective real world multicentre registry enrolling patients showing at least one CTO. Clinical and angiographic data were collected independently from the therapeutic strategy [optimal medical therapy (MT), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)]; a comparative 1-year clinical followup was pe…
Retrograde recanalization of an in-stent ostial chronically occluded right coronary artery
We describe a case of a chronic proximal in-stent CTO extending up to the ostium of a right coronary artery where successful achievement of guidewire passage through the CTO was performed with a retrograde approach. Guidewire trapping into the right guiding catheter was performed thereafter and procedure was completed by retrograde balloon crossing and antegrade stenting. © 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.
Prognostic value of exercise myocardial scintigraphy in patients with coronary chronic total occlusions.
Objectives: To evaluate the prognostic value of exercise myocardial scintigraphy in patients undergoing incomplete revascularization by means of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with at least a residual chronic total occlusion (CTO) left untreated. Methods: Of 569 consecutive patients with multivessel disease undergoing myocardial scintigraphy after incomplete revascularization by PCI between March 1997 and December 2004, 126 (79% male, 64 ± 10 years) with ≥ 1 residual CTO fulfilled the eligibility criteria and entered in the study. Hard events defined as cardiac death and myocardial infarction, soft events defined as incidence of unstable angina and PCI procedures, and their compos…