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Background: In the setting of coronary artery dissection, both spontaneous and iatrogenic, fixing the intimal tear, usually with stent implantation, can be extremely challenging if the distal wire position has been lost. Common complications are mainly related to the inadvertent subintimal tracking of the guidewire while attempting to gain the distal true lumen., Aims: To report the registry results of using the SUOH 0.3 guidewire for managing coronary artery dissection in a real-world multicenter setting., Methods: The study population in this retrospective, multicenter, international registry included 75 consecutive patients who underwent PCI and required an antegrade wiring of a dissected coronary artery., Results: Successful use of SUOH 0.3 was achieved in 69 (92%) patients. The use of a microcatheter was associated with a significantly higher rate of TIMI 3 flow at the end of the procedure (no microcatheter: n  = 17, 81%; microcatheter: n  = 52, 96.3%; p  = 0.017). The first recanalization attempt was made with the SUOH 03 guidewire in 48 (64%) cases, and it was successful in 42 (87%). The overall PCI success rate was reported in 72 (96%) patients, with no significant differences among patients with different origins, mechanisms, and locations of dissection., Conclusions: In this setting, the SUOH 0.3 guidewire provides high procedural success without additional complex techniques., Competing Interests: All authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Gabriele L. Gasparini et al.)

Aim: To compare the long-term outcomes of patients implanted with Absorb bioresorbable scaffold (BRS) with optimal versus suboptimal technique., Methods and Results: All patients who received an Absorb between March 2012 and January 2016 were selected from 19 Italian centers databases to assess the impact of an optimal implantation technique (CIAO criteria) on long-term device-oriented composite end-point (DOCE) - including cardiac death (CD), target-vessel myocardial infarction (TV-MI) and ischemia-driven target lesion revascularization (ID-TLR) - on its single components and on scaffold thrombosis (ScT). CIAO criteria consist of predilation (balloon/vessel ratio 1:1), correct sizing (BRS/proximal reference vessel diameter -RVD- ratio 0.8-1.2) and high-pressure postdilation with non-compliant (NC) balloon (≥20 atm for balloon/BRS ratio 1:1 or ≥16 atm for a 0.25-0.5 mm oversized balloon). Among the 1.434 patients analyzed, 464 (32.4%) fulfilled all CIAO criteria for every BRS implanted (CIAO 3 group), while 970 (67.6%) did not in at least one of the received BRS (CIAO 0-1-2 group). At 31.0 (interquartile range -IQR- 24.8-38.5) months follow-up, CIAO criteria did not impact on DOCE (8.2% vs. 8.0%, p = 0.92), ID-TLR (6.9% vs. 7.1%, p = 0.72) or ScT (1.9% vs. 1.8%, p = 0.80) in the overall population. At multivariate analysis overall BRS length (p = 0.001), severely calcified lesions (p = 0.03) and absence of CIAO criteria (CIAO 0, p = 0.005) were independent predictors of DOCE in long-term follow-up., Conclusion: Our data suggest that strict application of an optimal Absorb implantation technique doesn't improve long-term DOCE or ScT but may mitigate the worse outcome of patients with calcific lesions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest B.C., A.S.P. and F.R. report being member of the advisory board of Abbott Vascular and speakers' honoraria from Abbott Vascular; E.C., M.D.C. and F.V. reports speakers' honoraria from Abbott Vascular. The other authors have no conflict of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To assess the incidence of no-reflow in patients undergoing chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), analyze possible causes and differential diagnoses, and identify useful management approaches., Methods: In this multicenter observational study, all CTO-PCIs performed between January 2018 and April 2019 were reviewed to collect no-reflow complications, defined as Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow ≤1 in a patent epicardial artery. Patient clinical, anatomical, and procedural characteristics were analyzed., Results: Out of 461 PCIs, two (0.43%) were complicated by no-reflow. In 1 case, PCI was performed on a long segment of the right coronary artery, after use of a dissection-re-entry technique by knuckle wiring. In the second patient, no-reflow developed after proximal left anterior descending coronary artery stenting, with a short subintimal tracking. Intravascular ultrasound was used to exclude complications in the epicardial vessel in both cases. Distal embolization seems the most plausible cause, and intracoronary adenosine effectively improved flow. Both patients had a type 4a myocardial infarction, asymptomatic in the first case, and associated with chest pain, electrocardiographic changes, and new regional wall-motion abnormality at echocardiography in the second case., Conclusions: No-reflow in CTO recanalization is rare, but associated with a high risk of periprocedural myocardial infarction, with incomplete protection from ischemia offered by the pre-existing collateral network.

Objectives: To first explore in Italy appropriateness of indication, adherence to guideline recommendations and mode of selection for coronary revascularisation., Design: Retrospective, pilot study., Setting: 22 percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)-performing hospitals (20 patients per site), 13 (59%) with on-site cardiac surgery., Participants: 440 patients who received PCI for stable coronary artery disease (CAD) or non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome were independently selected in a 4:1 ratio with half diabetics., Primary and Secondary Outcome Measures: Proportion of patients who received appropriate PCI using validated appropriate use scores (ie, AUS≥7). Also, in patients with stable CAD, we examined adherence to the following European Society of Cardiology recommendations: (A) per cent of patients with complex coronary anatomy treated after heart team discussion; (B) per cent of fractional flow reserve-guided PCI for borderline stenoses in patients without documented ischaemia; (C) per cent of patients receiving guideline-directed medical therapy at the time of PCI as well as use of provocative test of ischaemia according to pretest probability (PTP) of CAD., Results: Of the 401 mappable PCIs (91%), 38.7% (95% CI 33.9 to 43.6) were classified as appropriate, 47.6% (95% CI 42.7 to 52.6) as uncertain and 13.7% (95% CI 10.5% to 17.5%) as inappropriate. Median PTP in patients with stable CAD without known coronary anatomy was 69% (78% intermediate PTP, 22% high PTP). Ischaemia testing use was similar (p=0.71) in patients with intermediate (n=140, 63%) and with high PTP (n=40, 66%). In patients with stable CAD (n=352) guideline adherence to the three recommendations explored was: (A) 11%; (B) 25%; (C) 23%. AUS was higher in patients evaluated by the heart team as compared with patients who were not (7 (6.8) vs 5 (4.7); p=0.001)., Conclusions: Use of heart team approaches and adherence to guideline recommendations on coronary revascularisation in a real-world setting is limited. This pilot study documents the feasibility of measuring appropriateness and guideline adherence in clinical practice and identifies substantial opportunities for quality improvement., Trial Registration Number: NCT02748603., Competing Interests: Competing interests: ICJME forms are available for all authors. SL reports honoraria for advisory boards from AstraZeneca, Daiichi Sankyo, and The Medicines Company during the conduct of the study outside the submitted work; LDL reports personal fees from Astra Zeneca, personal fees from Bayer, personal fees from Boehringer-Ingelheim, personal fees from Eli Lilly and Daiichi Sankyo, personal fees from Menarini, personal fees from The Medicines Company, outside the submitted work. SDS reports personal fees from Pfizer, personal fees from AstraZeneca, personal fees from Daiichi Sankyo, personal fees from Correvio, outside the submitted work. The other authors report nothing to disclose. All authors have read and understood BMJ policy on declaration of interests and have no other relevant interests to declare in addition to these., (© Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.)

Background: The optimal treatment of unprotected left main (UPLM) with either PCI or CABG remains uncertain., Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine the comparative safety and efficacy of PCI versus CABG in patients with UPLM disease., Methods: Search of BioMedCentral, CENTRAL, mRCT, PubMed, major cardiological congresses proceedings and references cross-check (updated November 2016). Outcomes were the rate of MACE [all cause death, MI, stroke], the rates of the individual components of MACE and the rate of target vessel revascularisation (TVR)., Results: We identified 6 Randomised Controlled Trials totalling 4717 patients allocated to PCI or CABG. At 1 year follow up, PCI and CABG were substantially equivalent with respect to the rates of MACE [PCI 8.5% vs CABG 8.9%, OR 1.02,(0.76-1.36), p = 0.9], death [PCI 5.4% vs CABG 6.6%, OR 0.81,(0.63-1.03),p = 0.08] and MI [PCI 3.4% vs CABG 4.3%, OR 0.80(0.59-1.07), p = 0.14]. Notably, PCI was associated with a significantly lower rate of stroke [PCI 0.6% vs CABG 1.8%, OR 0.36,(0.17-0.79), p = 0.01] and with a significantly higher rate of TVR [PCI 8.7% vs CABG 4.5%, OR 2.00(1.46-2.75), p<0.01]. At a median follow up of 5years, the rates of MACE were similar between the two strategies: PCI 14.6% vs CABG 13.8%, OR 1.02(0.76-1.38), p = 0.89. Likewise, the rates of death [PCI 8% and CABG 7.7%, OR 1(0.77-1.31), P = 0.9], MI [PCI 6.1% vs CABG 5%, OR 1.41(0.85-2.34), P = 0.19, I2 59%], and stroke [PCI 2% vs CABG 2.2%, OR 0.85(0.42-1.81), p = 0.65,] were similar while PCI was associated with a significantly higher rate of TVR [14.5% vs CABG 8.9%, OR 1.73(1.41-2.13), p<0.01]., Conclusion: In patients with UPLM disease, PCI and CABG are associated with similar rates of MACE and mortality at 1 year as well as after 5 years. Differences can be detected for individual end points at both short and long term FU.

Background: Developed countries are facing a sustained increase in life expectancy. Along with all social and cultural implications of increase lifespan, very elderly patients are undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with increasing frequency. However, there is limited evidence to guide clinicians in evaluating pros and cons of PCI in this very frail patient population. We, thus, aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical studies reporting on PCI with stenting in nonagenarians., Methods: Studies reporting on five or more nonagenarians undergoing PCI were systematically searched in PubMed (last updated on November 2011). Baseline and clinical characteristics, in-hospital and long-term outcomes were systematically appraised. End points of interest were in-hospital and long-term follow-up incidence of death and Major Adverse Cardiac Events (MACE; i.e. the composite of death from all causes, myocardial infarction or repeat revascularization). Events were pooled with a random-effect model, generating summary estimates of incidence rates [95% confidence intervals (CI)]., Results: A total of 10 studies were included, reporting on a total of 575 nonagenarians undergoing PCI with stenting who represented 1.99% (1.34-2.5) of those undergoing revascularization in the cath lab in a mean period of 5 (3-7) years. Twenty-three percent (13-45) of patients presented with STEMI (ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction), 10% (7-12) with cardiogenic shock and in 78% (64-88) of cases a multivessel disease was diagnosed. Meta-analytic pooling of event rates showed an in-hospital death risk of 12.61% (9.71-15.50) with MACE in 16.41% (13.36-19.47). After a follow-up ranging from 6 to 29 months (median 12), the risk of long-term death was 31.00% (17.10-45.52), with MACE in 37.00% (19.56-55.95; all CI 95%)., Conclusion: Our meta-analysis, pooling the largest cohort ever of nonagenarians undergoing PCI with stents, confirms the feasibility of percutaneous coronary stenting even in this very frail patient subset, despite the expected severe event attrition during follow-up. Thus, nonagenarians with an acceptable risk profile, recent clinical instability and/or disabling symptoms should not be denied the possibility of percutaneous coronary revascularization.

Aim: To assess the impact on in-hospital and long-term survival of thrombus aspiration (TA) during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) complicated by cardiogenic shock (CS)., Methods and Results: From September 2001 to May 2010 we collected data from 155 patients affected with STEMI complicated by CS undergoing PPCI (12.4% of all PPCI) including 70 patients (45.2%) in TA group and 85 patients (54.8%) in conventional PCI group. Patients in TA group were more likely to have right ventricular infarction (24.3% vs 5.9%, p=0.002), higher mean left ventricular ejection fraction (40% ± 9% vs 35% ± 7%, p<0.0001) and lower left main coronary artery occlusion (2.8% vs 21.2%, p=0.002). TA was associated with a lower rate of in-hospital and long-term mortality (31.4% vs 48.2%, p=0.05 and 42.8% vs 64.7%, p=0.01 respectively) at a mean follow-up time of 6.1 ± 2.1 years. At multivariate analysis the only independent predictor of in-hospital and long-term survival was the procedural success (HR 0.18 95% CI 0.025-0.31, p=0.03 and HR 0.46 95% CI 0.09-0.74, p=0.034 respectively)., Conclusions: In this retrospective study TA, performed during PPCI for STEMI complicated by CS, was not an independent predictor of in-hospital and long-term survival., (© 2013.)

Background: The feasibility and efficacy of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA) via transradial access (TRA) is still a matter of concern, mainly in an unselected population., Methods: We collected data about all PCI performed in patients with ULMCA stenosis by a TRA-dedicated operator and analyzed clinical and procedural characteristics as well as in-hospital and long-term outcomes., Results: From January 2008 to December 2011, 49 PCIs were performed; 27 (55%) via TRA and 22 (45%) via transfemoral access (TFA). Most patients in both groups underwent PCI for acute coronary syndrome (66.7% in the TRA group vs 77.3% in the TFA group, p=0.73). Patients in the TRA group were more hypertensive (81.5% vs 40.9%, p=0.008) and had a higher left ventricular ejection fraction (54.6±10.3 vs 46.1±12.8, p=0.01). There were no significant differences in procedural success (100% in the TRA group vs 90.9% in the TFA group, p=0.38), as well as in procedural time, in fluoroscopic time and in contrast volume. Bleeding complications occurred in 1 patient in the TFA group (4.5%) vs none in the TRA group (p=0.91). In-hospital major adverse cardiac events (MACE) occurred in 1 patient (3.7%) in the TRA group vs 3 (13.6%) in the TFA group (p=0.48). At a follow-up of 32±13 months, MACE occurred in 4 cases (14.8%) in the TRA group vs 7 cases (31.8%) in the TFA group (p=0.28)., Conclusions: The PCI of ULMCA via TRA is feasible with good results, provided that a rigorous learning curve was followed and a TRA volume caseload was maintained., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate short- and long-term results of PCI (percutaneous coronary intervention) in patients with small vessel coronary artery disease and the prognostic impact of the extension and the length of coronary lesions., Methods and Results: All consecutive patients treated with PCI in our centre between July 2002 and December 2004 were included and divided into two groups according to the diameter of the implanted stents: small vessel disease was defined as requiring implantation of stents < 2.75 mm in diameter. The primary end point was the long-term incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), the composite of cardiac mortality, nonfatal myocardial reinfarction, and repeated percutaneous target vessel revascularization (re-PTCA TVR). 1599 patients were treated by PCI: 419 (26.2%) were implanted with 2.75 mm or smaller stents. At both 1 and 36 months as well as at 53 + 20 months of follow-up small vessel stenting was associated with a higher rate of MACE (4.2% vs 2.1%, P= 0.028; 20.3% vs 17.9%, P <0.001; 27.5% vs 22.4%, P= 0.04, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed higher rates of revascularization for patients with small vessel disease regardless of lesion length. Rates of death were higher in patients with small vessels and long lesions., Conclusion: Atherosclerotic involvement of small vessels in patients with CAD confers a higher short- and long-term risk of adverse outcome after PCI.

Abstract: Given their suboptimal success rates, coronary chronic total occlusions (CTO) represent one of the last challenges of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Among several novel techniques, the retrograde approach is one of the most promising, but it is still incompletely described. We report our 5-year experience in retrograde PCI for CTOs. We abstracted patient and procedural data on all cases with attempted retrograde approach. End-points were technical and procedural success, plus long-term major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). The retrograde approach was used in 17 patients, with procedural success in 12 (71%), including 9 CTOs of right coronary, 2 of left circumflex, and 2 of left main arteries. Conversely, 4 cases of technical failure and 1 post-procedural myocardial infarction in an otherwise angiographically successful procedure were found. Causes of retrograde failure were: inability to deliver the balloon through the chosen collateral in 2 cases, inability to retrogradely cross the distal stump with the wire in 1 case, and interruption of the procedure due to rupture of a minor septal collateral branch during attempts at advancing the non-inflated balloon in 1 case. In all patients with retrograde failure, subsequent antegrade attempts could be carried out, with ultimate success in everybody. Follow-up at 24±21 months showed an overall MACE rate of 23%. In conclusion, the retrograde approach appears feasible and safe, and its application can be envisioned as a promising alternative strategy in selected patients in whom antegrade approaches fail or are deemed unsafe. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]