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The aim of this study was to investigate the online assessment feasibility of aortography using videodensitometry in the catheterization laboratory during transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).Quantitative assessment of regurgitation after TAVR through aortography using videodensitometry is simple, reproducible, and validated in vitro, in vivo, in clinical trials, and in "real-world" patients. However, thus far the assessment has been done offline.This was a single center, prospective, proof-of-principle, feasibility study. One hundred consecutive patients with aortic stenosis and indications to undergo TAVR were enrolled. All final aortograms were analyzed immediately after acquisition in the catheterization laboratory and were also sent to an independent core laboratory for blinded offline assessment. The primary endpoint of the study was the feasibility of the online assessment of regurgitation (percentage of analyzable cases). The secondary endpoint was the reproducibility of results between the online assessment and the offline analysis by the core laboratory.Patients' mean age was 81 ± 7 years, and 56% were men. The implanted valves were either SAPIEN 3 (97%) or SAPIEN 3 Ultra (3%). The primary endpoint of online feasibility of analysis was 92% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 86% to 97%) which was the same feasibility encountered by the core laboratory (92%; 95% CI: 86% to 97%). Reproducibility assessment showed a high correlation between online and core laboratory evaluations (RThis study showed high feasibility of online quantitative assessment of regurgitation and high agreement between the online examiner and core laboratory. These results may pave the way for the application of videodensitometry in the catheterization laboratory after TAVR. (Online Videodensitometric Assessment of Aortic Regurgitation in the Cath-Lab [OVAL]; NCT04047082).

To improve clinical outcomes after percutaneous coronary interventions of coronary bifurcation lesions, the Tryton Side Branch Stent™ (Tryton Medical, Durham) was developed. Registry studies evaluating the Tryton stent has shown promisingclinical results and the stent is currently compared with the provisional single stent strategy in a randomized trial. However, clinical results beyond one year are lacking, and therefore, we investigated the one- and two-year outcomes after Tryton stent placement in a single-center registry study.All patients in our center in whom Tryton placement was attempted between October 2010 and December 2011 were included. Clinical outcomes were defined as cardiac death, any myocardial infarction (MI), target vessel revascularization (TVR), target lesion revascularization (TLR), stent thrombosis (ST), and target vessel failure (TVF; composite of cardiac death, MI, and TVR). Event rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. We included 91 patients. Almost half (42%) of the patients included had acute coronary syndrome (ACS) as indication for PCI (12% unstable angina, 14% NSTEMI, and 16% STEMI). Median follow-up duration was 713 days (IQR 617-840). TVF rates were 14.5% (one year) and 20.3% (two year). Two-year cardiac death, MI, TVR, TLR and ST rates were 4.4%, 10.2%, 12.7%, 9.2%, and 2.2%, respectively.In this single-center registry, use of the Tryton stent was associated with acceptable clinical outcomes at two-year follow-up.

Introduction: Evidence for the current guidelines for the treatment of patients with chronic total occlusions (CTO) in coronary arteries is limited. In this study we identified all CTO patients registered in the Swedish Coronary Angiography and Angioplasty Registry (SCAAR) and studied the prevalence, patient characteristics and treatment decisions for CTO in Sweden. Methods and Results: Between January 2005 and January 2012, 276,931 procedures (coronary angiography or percutaneous coronary intervention) were performed in 215,836 patients registered in SCAAR. We identified all patients who had 100% luminal diameter stenosis known or assumed to be >= 3 months old. After exclusion of patients with previous coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery or coronary occlusions due to acute coronary syndrome, we identified 16,818 CTO patients. A CTO was present in 10.9% of all coronary angiographies and in 16.0% of patients with coronary artery disease. The majority of CTO patients were treated conservatively and PCI of CTO accounted for only 5.8% of all PCI procedures. CTO patients with diabetes and multivessel disease were more likely to be referred to CABG. Conclusion: CTO is a common finding in Swedish patients undergoing coronary angiography but the number of CTO procedures in Sweden is low. Patients with CTO are a high-risk subgroup of patients with coronary artery disease. SCAAR has the largest register of CTO patients and therefore may be valuable for studies of clinical importance of CTO and optimal treatment for CTO patients.

Myocardial reperfusion is frequently suboptimal after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated by primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Using a balloon-tipped catheter positioned in the coronary sinus (CS), pressure-controlled intermittent coronary sinus occlusion (PICSO) results in an intermittent obstruction of coronary venous outflow of the left anterior descending artery (LAD), and may improve myocardial perfusion by augmenting redistribution of blood to the border zone of ischemic myocardium. We sought to document the intracoronary hemodynamic effects of PICSO during PCI. We included 15 patients with stable angina scheduled for PCI of the LAD. Balloon occlusion of the LAD was performed twice, once with and once without PICSO and lasting maximally 3 minutes each, to document the effect of PICSO on CS pressure and LAD wedge pressure. Catheter delivery was successful in all patients. The study protocol could not be conducted in 5 patients due to initial calibration difficulties (n = 3), a pressure wire problem (n = 1), and a vagal response at the start of the procedure (n = 1). In the remaining 10 patients, CS occlusion caused a marked increase in mean CS pressure (4.1 ± 7.3 mmHg vs. 22.0 ± 12.6 mmHg; P0.001) and CS pulse pressure (4.3 ± 0.8 mmHg vs. 36.1 ± 6.3 mmHg; P0.001). Concomitantly, mean distal LAD wedge pressure and wedge pulse pressure increased (32.4 ± 12.2 mmHg vs. 35.5 ± 12.6 mmHg; P0.001 and 39.1 ± 27.2 mmHg vs. 45.9 ± 26.0 mmHg; P0.001, respectively). At 30 day follow-up, no device-related events occurred. PICSO safely augments CS pressure, thereby increasing LAD coronary wedge pressure. These findings support further evaluation of PICSO in the setting of STEMI.

We investigated the short- and long-term predictive value of the TIMI risk score regarding mortality for patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).Data on the long-term predictive value of the TIMI risk score is sparse.We used data from 3,609 STEMI patients undergoing PPCI in a high-volume PCI center in The Netherlands. Cumulative event rates according to TIMI score variables were estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method and compared with the log-rank test. The original TIMI risk score was modified based on the availability of the data in the single center registry.Higher TIMI scores were associated with significantly higher mortality at short- and long-term follow-up (P0.001 for both). Age and Killip Class IV at presentation were significant predictors for both short- and long-term mortality. Patients with an anterior MI, heart frequence100 beats per minute, or systolic blood pressure100 mmHG had a worse short-term prognosis compared to those who had not. However, long-term mortality was nonsignificantly different. The presence of a history of diabetes/hypertension and weight had only long-term prognostic value. Time to PPCI did not have any prognostic value.Our current report shows that the TIMI risk score has both short- and long-term discriminative value. The different variables contained in the TIMI risk score predict short-term prognosis, others predominantly long-term mortality, whereas some are predictive for both.

This retrospective multicenter registry evaluated the safety and feasibility of left ventricular (LV) support with the Impella 2.5 (Abiomed Europe GmbH, Aachen, Germany) during high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).Patients with complex or high-risk coronary lesions, such as last remaining vessel or left main lesions, are increasingly being treated with PCI. Because periprocedural hemodynamic compromise and complications might occur rapidly, many of these high-risk procedures are being performed with mechanical cardiac assistance, particularly in patients with poor LV function. The Impella 2.5, a percutaneous implantable LV assist device, might be a superior alternative to the traditionally used intra-aortic balloon pump.The Europella registry included 144 consecutive patients who underwent a high-risk PCI. Safety and feasibility end points included incidence of 30-day adverse events and successful device function.Patients were older (62%70 years of age), 54% had an LV ejection fractionor = 30%, and the prevalence of comorbid conditions was high. Mean European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation score was 8.2 (SD 3.4), and 43% of the patients were refused for coronary artery bypass grafting. A PCI was considered high-risk due to left main disease, last remaining vessel disease, multivessel coronary artery disease, and low LV function in 53%, 17%, 81%, and 35% of the cases, respectively. Mortality at 30 days was 5.5%. Rates of myocardial infarction, stroke, bleeding requiring transfusion/surgery, and vascular complications at 30 days were 0%, 0.7%, 6.2%, and 4.0%, respectively.This large multicenter registry supports the safety, feasibility, and potential usefulness of hemodynamic support with Impella 2.5 in high-risk PCI.