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Background: Transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) is an emerging therapeutic alternative for patients with secondary mitral regurgitation (MR). Outcomes of TMVR versus guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) have not been investigated for this population. This study aimed to compare clinical outcomes of patients with secondary MR undergoing TMVR versus GDMT alone. Methods: The CHOICE-MI registry included patients with MR undergoing TMVR using dedicated devices. Patients with MR etiologies other than secondary MR were excluded. Patients treated with GDMT alone were derived from the control arm of the COAPT trial. We compared outcomes between the TMVR and GDMT groups, using propensity score (PS)-matching to adjust for baseline differences. Results: After PS-matching, 97 patient pairs undergoing TMVR (72.9±8.7 years, 60.8% male, transapical access 91.8%) versus GDMT (73.1±11.0 years, 59.8% male) were compared. At 1 and 2 years, residual MR was ≤1+ in all patients of the TMVR group compared to 6.9% and 7.7%, respectively, in those receiving GDMT alone (both p Conclusions: In this observational comparison, over 2-year follow-up, TMVR using mostly transapical devices in patients with secondary MR was associated with significant reduction of MR, symptomatic improvement, less frequent hospitalizations for HF and similar mortality compared with GDMT.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common heart arrhythmia, and its prevalence increases with age. Oral Anticoagulant Therapy (OAT) with non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) or vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) is essential to avoid thromboembolic events in AF. However, this treatment is associated with a high risk of bleeding and low adherence in elderly patients. Aim: The aim was to evaluate the real-world use of OAT in a population of patients aged ≥80 years in twenty-three Italian centers and to investigate the tolerance of and patient satisfaction with this therapy. Methods: The ISNEP Study is a multicenter cross-sectional study enrolling patients with AF and aged ≥80 years and treated with either NOACs or VKAs. A written questionnaire was administered to each patient to evaluate the adherence to and patient satisfaction with this therapy. Results: The study included 641 patients with a mean age of 85 (82–87) years. The use of NOACs was reported in 93.0% of cases, with the remaining 7.0% treated with VKAs. A history of stroke events was reported in five (11.1%) and one (0.2%) patients in the VKA and NOAC groups, respectively. The rate of referred ecchymosis/epistaxis was significantly higher in the VKA group compared to the NOAC group (p < 0.001). Patients receiving NOACs reported a substantial improvement in their quality of life compared to the VKA group. Conclusions: A small, but not negligible, proportion of elderly AF patients is still treated with VKAs. Patients treated with NOAC have a higher level of satisfaction with the therapy and complete adherence.

The first-generation ACURATE neo transcatheter heart valve (THV) (Boston Scientific) was associated with a non-negligible occurrence of moderate or greater paravalvular aortic regurgitation (AR) following transcatheter aortic valve replacement. To overcome this issue, the ACURATE neo2 iteration, which incorporates a taller outer skirt aimed at reducing the occurrence of paravalvular AR, has recently been developed.The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of the ACURATE neo2 (Boston Scientific) THV in patients with severe aortic valve stenosis.ITAL-neo was an observational, retrospective, multicenter registry enrolling consecutive patients with severe aortic valve stenosis, treated with first- and second-generation ACURATE neo THVs, via transfemoral and trans-subclavian access, in 13 Italian centers. One-to-one propensity score matching was applied to account for baseline characteristics unbalance. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of moderate or greater paravalvular AR on predischarge echocardiographic assessment. Secondary endpoints included postprocedural technical success and 90-day device success and safety.Among 900 patients included in the registry, 220 received the ACURATE neo2 THV, whereas 680 were treated with the first-generation device. A total of 410 patients were compared after 1:1 propensity score matching. The ACURATE neo2 THV was associated with a 3-fold lower frequency of postprocedural moderate or greater paravalvular AR (11.2% vs 3.5%; P 0.001). No other hemodynamic differences were observed. Postprocedural technical success was similar between the 2 cohorts. Fewer adverse events were observed in patients treated with the ACURATE neo2 at 90 days.Transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement using the ACURATE neo2 was associated with a significant lower frequency of moderate or greater paravalvular AR compared with the earlier generation ACURATE neo device, with encouraging short-term safety and efficacy.

OBJECTIVES This study evaluated the incidence, management, and outcome of patients who experienced MitraClip (Abbott Vascular) failure secondary to loss of leaflet insertion (LLI), single leaflet detachment (SLD), or embolization. BACKGROUND Transcatheter edge-to-edge repair with MitraClip is an established therapy for the treatment of mitral regurgitation (MR), but no data exist regarding the prevalence and outcome according to the mode of clip failure. METHODS Between January 2009 and December 2020, we retrospectively screened 4,294 procedures of MitraClip performed in 19 centers. LLI was defined as damage to the leaflet where the MitraClip was attached, SLD as demonstration of complete separation between the device and a single leaflet tissue, and clip embolization as loss of contact between MitraClip and both leaflets. RESULTS A total of 147 cases of MitraClip failure were detected (overall incidence��=��3.5%), and these were secondary to LLI or SLD in 47 (31.9%) and 99 (67.3%) cases, respectively, whereas in 1 (0.8%) case clip embolization was observed. MitraClip failure occurred in 67 (45.5%) patients with functional MR, in 64 (43.5%) patients with degenerative MR, and 16 (10.8%) with mixed etiology. Although the majority of MitraClip failures were detected before discharge (47 intraprocedural and 42 in the hospital), up to 39.5% of cases were diagnosed at follow-up. In total, 80 (54.4%) subjects underwent a redo procedure, either percutaneously with MitraClip (n��=��51, 34.7%) or surgically (n��=��36, 24.5%) including 4 cases of surgical conversion of the index procedure and 7 cases of bailout surgery after unsuccessful redo MitraClip. After a median follow-up of 163��days (IQR: 22-720��days), 50 (43.9%) subjects presented moderate to severe MR, and 43 (29.3%) patients died. An up-front redo MitraClip strategy was associated with a trend toward a reduced rate of death at follow-up vs surgical or conservative management (P��=��0.067), whereas postprocedural acute kidney injury, age, and moderate to severe tricuspid regurgitation were independent predictors of death. CONCLUSIONS MitraClip failure secondary to LLI and SLD is not a rare phenomenon and may occur during and also beyond hospitalization. Redo MitraClip strategy demonstrates a trend toward a reduced risk of death compared with bailout surgery and conservative management. A third of those patients remained with more than moderate MR and had substantial mortality at the intermediate-term follow-up.

Improvements in medical therapy and coronary revascularization have led to an increased survival rate in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), with a consequent growing number of patients with severe and diffuse CAD which is not amenable to further revascularization procedures. The majority of these patients have either angina pectoris refractory to optimal medical therapy or chronic heart failure symptoms. While the goal of therapy in refractory angina pectoris patients should mostly be directed at improving patients’ symptoms and quality of life, therapy in severe diffuse CAD should be focused on myocardial ischemia reduction and survival improvement. In recent years, a number of innovative non-pharmacological therapeutic options, aimed at improving angina symptoms and quality of life by reducing myocardial ischemia, have been investigated in this challenging patient group. We summarize the different non-pharmacological therapeutic options that are available or are under development, aimed at improving myocardial perfusion in patients with proven myocardial ischemia and CAD not amenable to further revascularization.

An 80-year old woman was admitted to our department for syncope and worsening effort dyspnea (New York Heart Association functional class III). The patient underwent surgical aortic valve replacement with a 21-mm Enable (Medtronic, Irvine, California) sutureless valve 6 years before. Although follow

The management of patients with severe coronary artery disease and severely impaired renal function may be challenging. In this report, we describe the case of a 75-year-old patient who underwent complex percutaneous coronary intervention with an ultra-low dose contrast medium protocol. Notably, the patient was scheduled for the procedure after careful monitoring of fluid expansion as assessed by echocardiography. No contrast-induced nephropathy developed and the patient was discharged safely.

Objectives: To compare indications and clinical outcomes of two contemporary left atrial appendage (LAA) percutaneous closure systems in a “real-world” population. Background: Percutaneous LAA occlusion is an emerging therapeutic option for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation. Some questions however remain unanswered, such as the applicability of results of randomized trials to current clinical practice. Moreover, currently available devices have never been directly compared. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed consecutive patients who underwent LAA closure at San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy between 2009 and 2015. Clinical indications and device selection were left to operators' decision; routine clinical and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) follow-up was performed. Results: One-hundred and sixty-five patients were included in the study, of which 99 were treated with the Amplatzer Cardiac Plug (ACP) and 66 with the Watchman system. During the follow-up period (median 15 months, interquartile range 6–26 months) five patients died. The incidence of ischemic events was low, with one patient suffering a transient ischemic attack and no episodes recorded of definitive strokes. Twenty-six leaks ≥1 mm were detected (23%); leaks were less common with the ACP and with periprocedural three-dimensional TEE evaluation, but were not found to correlate with clinical events. Clinical outcomes were comparable between the two devices. Conclusions: Our data show excellent safety and efficacy of LAA closure, irrespectively of the device utilized, in a population at high ischemic and hemorrhagic risk. The use of ACP and 3D-TEE minimized the incidence of residual leaks; however, the clinical relevance of small peri-device flow warrants further investigation. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Objectives: Coronary stent underexpansion is a known risk factor for in-stent restenosis and stent thrombosis. There are limited options once noncompliant balloons have failed to achieve optimal stent expansion. Excimer Laser Coronary Angioplasty with contrast medium injection is one possibility, but not readily available. Rotational atherectomy is an alternative, and has been described in case reports, but concerns exist regarding safety. Methods: All consecutive patients undergoing rotational atherectomy for symptomatic in-stent restenosis due to stent underexpansion resistant to noncompliant balloon postdilatation between January 2005 and December 2015 were analysed. Results: A total of 16 patients underwent treatment during the study period and the procedure was successful in 14 cases (87.5%). The mean postprocedural minimal lumen diameter increased by 2.3 ± 0.8 mm and percentage diameter stenosis decreased from 82.17% ± 17.2% to 11.9% ± 9.1%. Intraprocedural complications occurred in two patients (burr entrapment successfully managed percutaneously and periprocedural myocardial infarction). At 1-year follow-up, the incidence of target lesion revascularisation was 13.3% (2 out of 15 patients), and one patient died from noncardiac death. Conclusion: In this small series of underexpanded stents, rotational atherectomy was an effective treatment for resistant stent underexpansion with acceptable outcomes. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Percutaneous left atrial appendage (LAA) closure is currently utilized for the prophylaxis of thromboembolic cerebrovascular accidents in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. The presence of LAA thrombus is usually considered a contraindication for the procedure, since there is a high risk of thrombus embolization. While reports in the literature have shown the feasibility of LAA closure in the presence of LAA thrombus with certain cerebral embolic protection devices, we present the first-in-man LAA closure of a patient with LAA thrombus using the TriGuard Embolic Protection Device.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common clinically relevant cardiac arrhythmia. AF poses patients at increased risk of thromboembolism, in particular ischemic stroke. The CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scores are useful in the assessment of thromboembolic risk in nonvalvular AF and are utilized in decision-making about treatment with oral anticoagulation (OAC). However, OAC is underutilized due to poor patient compliance and contraindications, especially major bleedings. The Virchow triad synthesizes the pathogenesis of thrombogenesis in AF: endocardial dysfunction, abnormal blood stasis, and altered hemostasis. This is especially prominent in the left atrial appendage (LAA), where the low flow reaches its minimum. The LAA is the remnant of the embryonic left atrium, with a complex and variable morphology predisposing to stasis, especially during AF. In patients with nonvalvular AF, 90% of thrombi are located in the LAA. So, left atrial appendage occlusion could be an interesting and effective procedure in thromboembolism prevention in AF. After exclusion of LAA as an embolic source, the remaining risk of thromboembolism does not longer justify the use of oral anticoagulants. Various surgical and catheter-based methods have been developed to exclude the LAA. This paper reviews the physiological and pathophysiological role of the LAA and catheter-based methods of LAA exclusion.

Objectives. The management of severe aortic stenosis has been revolutionized by the introduction of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), especially in patients at intermediate, high, or prohibitive surgical risk. There is uncertainty, however, regarding the comparative effectiveness and safety of contemporary TAVI devices. Methods. We queried detailed data from the ongoing national Italian TAVI registry and compared baseline features, procedural details, and 12-month outcomes of Acurate Neo (Boston Scientific), Evolut Pro/R (Medtronic), Lotus (Boston Scientific), Portico (Abbott Vascular), and Sapien/ Sapien S3 Ultra (Edward Lifesciences) transcatheter aortic valves. Several endpoints were collected and appraised, including the composite of death, stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), major bleeding, major vascular complication, surgical aortic valve replacement and transcatheter aortic valve reimplantation, which were deemed major adverse events (MAEs). Results. A total of 1976 patients were included, with 234 treated with Acurate, 703 with Evolut, 151 with Lotus, 347 with Portico, and 541 with Sapien. Twelve-month events were not significantly different among the 5 devices, including death (P=.29) and MAE (P=.21), with the notable exception of major vascular complications, which were more common with Acurate and Sapien (P

Background: Optimal antithrombotic therapy after left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion is still not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of different antithrombotic regimens after the procedure. Methods and Results: We retrospectively analyzed data of 260 patients who underwent LAA occlusion and divided them into four groups according to therapy at discharge: dual antiplatelet therapy (group A, 71.5%), oral anticoagulants (group B, 19%), “minimal” antithrombotic therapy (single antiplatelet agent or without any antithrombotic therapy, group C, 4.5%) and other therapeutic regimens (such as a combination of antiplatelets and anticoagulants, group D, 4.5%). We analyzed baseline characteristics, procedural data, and clinical and transesophageal follow-up for each group. The incidence of adverse events was low in the whole population and had a similar distribution among groups. The majority of bleeding events was registered during the first 3 months after the procedure (34 out of 46, 70%). Ischemic events (2%), as well as silent left atrial thrombosis, were rare and not significantly higher in the population discharged with “minimal” antithrombotic therapy. Conclusion: Our experience seems to suggest that LAA occlusion was associated with a low incidence of adverse events, regardless of antithrombotic therapy. A “minimal” drug regimen may be feasible without losing efficacy on embolic prevention for patients with high bleeding risk.

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is safe and feasible in patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV), but whether annular size may influence TAVR results in BAV patients remains unclear. We aimed at evaluating the impact of aortic annular size on procedural and clinical outcomes of BAV patients undergoing TAVR, as well as potential interactions between annular dimension and trans-catheter heart valve (THV) type (balloon-expandable (BEV) vs. self-expanding (SEV). Methods: BEAT is a multicenter registry of consecutive BAV stenosis undergoing TAVR. For this sub-study patients were classified according to annular dimension in small-annulus (area&nbsp

Objectives This study aimed to predict the displacement of self-expanding transcatheter heart valves (THV) during final deployment. Background Accurate device positioning during transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is crucial for optimal results. Methods At our institution, 103 patients who underwent transfemoral TAVI with Evolut R were retrospectively identified. Multiple linear regression models were created, and a predictor equation was built to quantify the factors that may affect THV behavior. Results Multiple linear regression analysis for THV displacement on the left coronary cusp (LCC) identified the angle between the THV and the ascending aorta (ATA), predilation, and less operator experience as independent predictors of upward displacement, whereas estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was inversely related with THV behavior (95% confidence interval: 0.219 to 0.340, 0.447 to 2.092, 0.165 to 1.757, and -0.053 to -0.011, respectively). Predictors of THV displacement on the noncoronary cusp side could not be identified using this model. Conclusions The ATA at the point of recapture, predilation, and less operator experience were independent predictors of upward displacement of THV on the LCC side. eGFR was an independent predictor of THV downward displacement on the LCC side. Of them, the ATA was the strongest predictor. Physicians may need to adjust this angle adequately before deployment to achieve the appropriate position.

Background Second generation transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) devices have been designed to reduce the rate of paravalvular leak (PVL) and other complications. An important technological advancement has been the ability to fully reposition devices to facilitate optimal implantation depth and position to reduce the likelihood of PVL. Objectives To compare procedural and 30-day outcomes according to the Valve Academic Research Consortium (VARC)-2 criteria following TAVI with the fully repositionable and retrievable Lotus and DFM devices. Methods and Results 175 patients with severe aortic stenosis underwent transfemoral TAVI with the Lotus (n = 60) and DFM (n = 115) valve. Baseline clinical characteristics did not differ between the two groups. All devices were successfully implanted, with one case of valve embolization in the Lotus group. Device success (95 vs. 98.2%, P = 0.89), VARC-defined combined safety (90 vs. 93%, P = 0.48), and clinical efficacy (86.7 vs. 90.4%, P = 0.65) rates at 30-days were similar between Lotus and DFM groups. There was no severe PVL; one patient in both Lotus and DFM group developed moderate PVL after the procedure. The Lotus valve was associated with a higher rate of new pacemaker implantation (37.3 vs. 11.2%, P

There is limited evidence to support decision-making regarding discharge antiplatelet therapy after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The aim of this study was to assess the outcome of patients discharged on single-antiplatelet therapy (SAPT) or dual-antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after TAVI. Consecutive patients were identified by retrospective review of a dedicated TAVI database of a single high-volume center in Milan, Italy, from January 2009 to May 2015. Our primary end point was the rate of net adverse clinical events defined as a composite of all-cause mortality, major bleeding requiring hospitalization, cerebrovascular accidents, redo-TAVI or surgical aortic valve replacement, and valve thrombosis. A total of 439 patients were included in the final analysis; 108 patients were discharged on SAPT and 331 on DAPT. Reasons for discharge SAPT included high risk of bleeding (n = 33; 31%), postprocedural bleeding (n = 42; 39%), thrombocytopenia (n = 20; 18%), vascular complications (n = 13; 12%). The mean length of DAPT was 5.2 ± 2.7 months. Patients discharged in SAPT had a higher incidence of life-threatening bleeding during the index hospitalization. At follow-up, no differences were observed in the incidence of net adverse clinical event, all-cause or cardiovascular mortality, and cerebrovascular events. A similar rate of valve thrombosis was reported in both groups. In conclusion, prescribing only SAPT after TAVI in selected patients was not associated with an increased risk of events and may be an acceptable alternative to DAPT in elderly patients at high risk of bleeding.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the follow-up evolution and impact of mild aortic regurgitation (1 + AR) following transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). METHODS: We evaluated the follow-up outcomes and AR evolution of 558 patients affected by native aortic stenosis who underwent TAVI with residual AR ≤ 1+. RESULTS: No residual AR was found in 294 (52.7%) patients, whereas 1 + AR was found in 264 (47.3%) patients. At 5.5 years, freedom from all-cause mortality (56.9% vs 53.5%), cardiac mortality (75.0% vs 74.3%) and heart failure (70.0% vs 63.9%) were similar between no-AR and 1 + AR groups, respectively (all P > 0.05). New York Heart Association Class I-II was found in 88.9% vs 82.4% of patients respectively (P = 0.013). Freedom from AR ≥3+ at 5.5 years was 98.6% in the no-AR group vs 82.5% in the 1 + AR group (log-rank

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is now the treatment of choice for patients with symptomatic aortic stenosis who are inoperable or with high surgical risk. Data with regards to contemporary clinical practice and long-term outcomes are sparse. To evaluate temporal changes in TAVI practice and explore procedural and long-term clinical outcomes of patients in a contemporary "real-world" population, outcomes of 829 patients treated from November 2007 to May 2015, at the San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy, were retrospectively analyzed. Median follow-up was 568 days, with the longest follow-up of 2,677 days. Overall inhospital mortality was 3.5%. During the study period, there was a trend toward treating younger, lower risk patients. Overall mortality rates were 3.5% (30 days), 14% (1 year), 22% (2 years), 29% (3 years), 37% (4 years), 47% (5 years), 53% (6 years), and 72% (7 years). The survival probability at 5 years was significantly higher in patients treated through the transfemoral (TF) route compared to other vascular access sites (log rank p

Ventricular septal defect (VSD) has been reported as a rare complication after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), presenting with signs of heart failure. Furthermore, left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO) may worsen after TAVI, especially in cases of severe left ventricular hypertrophy and small cavity. However, the simultaneous appearance of VSD and LVOT after TAVI has not been reported before. We report a case of combined VSD and LVOTO after TAVI.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common clinically relevant cardiac arrhythmia. AF poses patients at increased risk of thromboembolism, in particular ischemic stroke. The CHADS2 and CHA2DS2-VASc scores are useful in the assessment of thromboembolic risk in nonvalvular AF and are utilized in decision-making about treatment with oral anticoagulation (OAC). However, OAC is underutilized due to poor patient compliance and contraindications, especially major bleedings. The Virchow triad synthesizes the pathogenesis of thrombogenesis in AF: endocardial dysfunction, abnormal blood stasis, and altered hemostasis. This is especially prominent in the left atrial appendage (LAA), where the low flow reaches its minimum. The LAA is the remnant of the embryonic left atrium, with a complex and variable morphology predisposing to stasis, especially during AF. In patients with nonvalvular AF, 90% of thrombi are located in the LAA. So, left atrial appendage occlusion could be an interesting and effective procedure in thromboembolism prevention in AF. After exclusion of LAA as an embolic source, the remaining risk of thromboembolism does not longer justify the use of oral anticoagulants. Various surgical and catheter-based methods have been developed to exclude the LAA. This paper reviews the physiological and pathophysiological role of the LAA and catheter-based methods of LAA exclusion.

Transcatheter mitral valve-in-ring (VIR) implantation is known to be a feasible treatment for recurrent mitral regurgitation (MR) after failing surgical annuloplasty in inoperable patients. The difficulties of this procedure are related to different shapes and material characteristics of the

A high prevalence of mitral annular calcium (MAC) is expected in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI); however, data regarding the prevalence of MAC and impact on risk of cardiovascular events are lacking. To determine the prevalence of MAC and its association with clinical outcomes in patients undergoing TAVI, we retrospectively analyzed 424 patients who underwent transfemoral TAVI from 2007 to 2015 and whose preoperative computed tomography images were available for assessment of MAC. Severe circumferential MAC (SC-MAC) was defined as calcification involving at least the whole posterior annulus alone or with the attachment of the anterior leaflet. Clinical outcomes were examined according to Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 criteria up to 2 years. SC-MAC was found in 17.7% of patients. Patients with SC-MAC were more likely to be female, with a higher prevalence of atrial fibrillation and peripheral artery disease. There were no differences between the groups regarding age, functional class, prevalence of diabetes, kidney disease, and operative risk. Female gender and peripheral artery disease were independent predictors of SC-MAC. SC-MAC did not appear to be associated with periprocedural and 30-day outcomes. At 2 years' follow-up, patients with SC-MAC had significantly higher cardiovascular and all-cause mortality rates. SC-MAC was an independent predictor of cardiovascular mortality during follow-up. In conclusion, SC-MAC is a frequent finding in the TAVI population and appears to be an independent predictor of cardiovascular mortality at 2 years' follow-up.

Background Due to the inherent limitations of current generation BVSs, complex coronary artery disease often contains BVS unsuitable segments. Our aim was to assess the feasibility of a hybrid approach using bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BVSs) and drug-eluting stents (DESs) for the treatment of complex coronary artery lesions not suitable for a scaffolding only approach. Methods A retrospective multicenter cohort analysis was performed on patients with complex de novo or in-stent restenosis lesions treated with a hybrid BVS (Absorb BVS, Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, CA) and DES strategy. The primary endpoint was target lesion failure (TLF) defined as a composite of cardiac death, target-vessel myocardial infarction (MI) and target lesion revascularization (TLR). Results A total of 98 patients (105 lesions) were treated with the hybrid strategy. Isolated long lesions in which either proximal or distal reference vessel diameters were not suitable for BVS were an indication in 36.2% (n = 38) of cases. In contrast, 28% (n = 29) of lesions treated with the hybrid strategy were bifurcations in which the side branch was predominantly treated with DES (n = 28). DES bailout after BVS implantation was an indication in 21.9% (n = 23 lesions). The rates of type B2/C and long lesions (>28 mm) were 95.2% and 74.3% respectively. The mean total BVS and DES lengths implanted were 37.5 ± 24.1 mm and 25.0 ± 14.7 mm respectively. The rate of TLF in the overall cohort of patients (median follow-up 405 days [interquartile range 189–658]) was 11.4% at 1-year. This was primarily driven by TLR (9.5%), with rates of cardiac death and target vessel MI of 2.1% and 1.4% respectively. No cases of definite or probable BVS/DES thrombosis occurred. Conclusion In conclusion, the use of a hybrid BVS/DES strategy was feasible and associated with acceptable outcomes at 1-year, considering the length and complexity of lesions treated. Further, larger studies with longer follow-up are needed to confirm our findings.

A 73-year-old woman presented with heart failure, systemic congestion, and fatigue despite optimal medical therapy. Her medical history included stage IV kidney disease and previous hepatitis B virus infection. In 2014, she experienced a non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: coronary

An 84-year-old man with cardial senile amyloidosis and severe tricuspid regurgitation was referred for right sided heart failure symptoms. The patient was scheduled for a percutaneous treatment due to the prohibitive risk of surgery. Two MitraClips were implanted using a transjugular approach with successful echocardiographic and clinical results. This case shows the rational of the procedural with a bicuspidalization of the valve demonstrated at the three dimensional transesophageal echocardiography.

Bioresorbable scaffolds (BRS) represent a novel horizon in interventional cardiology and may lead to some potential long-term advantages including the restoration of vasomotion, positive remodeling and a reduced incidence of late and very-late scaffold thrombosis (ScT). This technology, introduced to overcome limitations of current metallic drug-eluting stents (DES), is constantly and rapidly evolving with many companies working on bioresorbable devices. The aim of this review is to present an update on the most promising scaffolds that are under development.

Background: Tricuspid valve (TV) repair at the time of left-sided valve surgery is indicated in patients with either severe functional tricuspid regurgitation (TR) or mild-to-moderate TR with coexistent tricuspid annular dilation or right heart failure. We assessed the benefits of a concomitant TV repair strategy during left-sided surgical valve interventions, focusing on mortality and echocardiographic TR-related outcomes.Methods: A meta-analysis was performed of studies reporting outcomes of patients who underwent left-sided (mitral and/or aortic) valve surgery with or without concomitant TV repair. Primary endpoints were all-cause and cardiac-related mortality; secondary endpoints were the presence of more-than-moderate TR, TR progression, and TR severity grade. All endpoints were evaluated at the longest available follow-up.Results: Fifteen studies were included for a total of 2840 patients. TV repair at the time of left-sided valve surgery was associated with a significantly lower risk of cardiac-related mortality (odds ratio [OR] 0.38; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.25-0.58; p < 0.001), with a trend towards a lower risk of all-cause mortality (OR 0.57; 95% CI: 0.32-1.05; p = 0.07) at a mean weighted follow-up of 6 years. The presence of more-than-moderate TR (OR 0.19; 95% CI: 0.12-0.30; p < 0.001), TR progression (OR 0.03; 95% CI: 0.01-0.05; p < 0.001), and TR grade (standardized mean difference -1.11; 95% CI: -1.57 to -0.65; p < 0.001) were significantly lower in the TV repair group at a mean weighted follow-up of 4.7 years.Conclusions: A concomitant TV repair strategy during left-sided valve surgery is associated with a reduction in cardiac-related mortality and improved echocardiographic TR outcomes at follow-up. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Aims Pressure-controlled Intermittent Coronary Sinus Occlusion (PICSO) intermittently increases the pressure in the cardiac venous outflow tract using a balloon-tipped catheter introduced percutaneously into the coronary sinus. It aims to improve microvascular perfusion in STEMI patients during PCI, thus improving infarct healing. Its successful administration was associated with an improvement in myocardial recovery four months after primary-PCI as compared to control. However, it has never been used in other settings or for a prolonged period. The aim of this study was to report on the feasibility and efficacy of prolonged PICSO to treat refractory LV dysfunction and ischemia. Methods and results Two patients with refractory LV dysfunction and ongoing ischemia with patent epicardial coronary artery and suspected underlying microvascular dysfunction were treated with prolonged off-label PICSO utilization. A medium of 23,990mmHg PICSO quantity (a marker of PICSO therapy performance) was achieved: it was almost fifty times the PICSO quantity previously reported in in short-term PICSO utilization. After PICSO placement, both patients showed significant improvement of myocardial ischemia and recovery of LV systolic function. Conclusion Prolonged PICSO utilization was feasible and effective in two patients. These cases highlight a novel application of PICSO technology: redistribution of venous blood and improvement in microvascular perfusion that might be a new target in cases of refractory LV dysfunction and ongoing ischemia in the setting of patent epicardial coronary arteries.

A 75-year-old woman who was known to have had previous aortic and mitral valve replacement with mechanical prostheses, permanent atrial fibrillation, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and hypothyroidism presented with right-sided heart decompensation (severe edema of the lower extremities, pleural

A 74-year-old woman with severe functional tricuspid regurgitation (FTR) was admitted with New York Heart Association functional class III with signs of right-sided heart failure. She had a medical history of hepatitis B–related liver disease, permanent atrial fibrillation, and previous stenting

We report the long-term outcome of a case of “full plastic jacket” treatment consisting of three bioresorbable scaffolds to manage a subtotally occluded left anterior descending artery with associated severe bare metal in-stent restenosis. Angiography 36 months' post procedure revealed an excellent result with negative fractional flow reserve result. Bioresorbable scaffolds may be an attractive option for in-stent restenosis due to the avoidance of an additional metallic layer, and this case is unusual regarding the total scaffold length used and long term angiographic follow-up.

Cardiac Calcification at Transthoracic EchocardiographyPredicts Stress EchoResults: a Multicentre StudyNicola Gaibazzi, Rosa Sicari, Eustachio Agricola, Giovanni Cioffi, CarmineMazzone, Lisa Albertini, Giacomo Faden, Sabrina Molinaro, DamianoRegazzoli, Andrea Di Lenarda,Pompilio FaggianoPII: S0167-5273(14)00666-4DOI: doi: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2014.04.007Reference: IJCA 17908To appear in

Surgical treatment of functional mitral regurgitation (MR) is usually based on the correction of both annular dilation and leaflet disease to minimize the risk of recurrence of MR at follow-up. This combined approach may also represent an interesting strategy during transcatheter mitral valve repair systems. We report a successful case of combined Cardioband (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, California) and MitraClip (Abbott, Santa Clara, California) implantation for the treatment of functional MR, with good acute and medium-term clinical and echocardiographic outcomes. Le traitement chirurgical de l'insuffisance mitrale secondaire (IM) repose généralement sur la correction de la dilatation annulaire et de la maladie des feuillets pour minimiser le risque de récurrence de l'IM durant le suivi. Cette approche combinée peut également représenter une stratégie intéressante durant l'implantation par catheter de dispositifs pour la réparation de la valve mitrale. Nous rapportons le cas d'une implantation réussie de Cardioband (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, Californie) et de MitraClip (Abbott, Santa Clara, Californie) dans le traitement d'une IM secondaire, avec de bons résultats cliniques et échocardiographiques à court et à moyen terme.