Benefit of coronary stenting using available intracoronary tools in high-risk patients. The OPTI-XIENCE study.

Background: The clinical benefit of using ICT for coronary stent optimization remains uncertain in randomized trials, in which a unique ICT was used in most cases.

Aim: To assess the clinical impact of intracoronary techniques (ICT) for stent optimization in high-risk patients.

Methods: The OPTI-XIENCE study is a prospective, observational, multicenter international study including high-risk patients undergoing coronary stenting, in whom any ICT was used for stent optimization at the operator's discretion.

Coronary Rotational Atherectomy Elective Versus Bailout in Patients With Severely Calcified Lesions and Chronic Renal Failure (CRATER) Trial.

Background: Plaque modification is crucial for successful stent expansion in calcified coronary lesions. Although rotational atherectomy (RA) improves initial procedural success compared to balloon predilatation, data comparing elective versus bailout RA, particularly in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, are scarce.

Aims: To perform a cost analysis of elective RA (E-RA) versus bailout RA (B-RA) to treat severely calcified lesions in patients with CKD, comparing procedural material cost and total healthcare cost.

Rotational Atherectomy, Lithotripsy, or Laser for Calcified Coronary Stenosis: One-Year Outcomes From the ROLLER COASTER-EPIC22 Trial.

Background: The ROLLER COASTR-EPIC22 was the first randomized trial to directly compare rotational atherectomy (RA), excimer laser coronary angioplasty (ELCA), and intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) for the treatment of patients with calcified coronary stenosis.

Aims: The aim of this study is to report and compare its 1-year clinical outcomes.

Methods: The ROLLER COASTR-EPIC22 trial randomized 171 patients with angiographic moderate to severe calcified coronary lesions to PCI with RA (n = 57), IVL (n = 57), or ELCA (n = 57).

Rotational Atherectomy, Lithotripsy, or Laser for Calcified Coronary Stenosis: The ROLLER COASTR-EPIC22 Trial.

Background: Coronary calcification negatively affects the safety and effectiveness of percutaneous coronary intervention. There is a lack of randomized comparisons among different plaque modification techniques.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare rotational atherectomy (RA), excimer laser coronary angioplasty (ELCA), and intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) for the treatment of patients with calcified coronary stenosis.

Successful Management of Myval Transcatheter Heart Valve Embolization Into Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm During Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Transcatheter heart valve embolization is a serious and rare complication of transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Having a strategy for promptly managing transcatheter heart valve embolization is crucial to avoid emergency conversion from transcatheter aortic valve replacement to open-heart surgery. Many cases of transcatheter heart valve embolization occurring with balloon-expandable prostheses such as the SAPIEN 3 (Edwards LifeSciences Corporation) valve and self-expandable prostheses such as the ACURATE neo (Boston Scientific Corporation) valve have been reported in the literature.

Percutaneous Thrombectomy With Flowtriever System in Pregnant Women With High-Risk Pulmonary Embolism and Contraindications to Systemic Thrombolysis.

Through these clinical cases, we present a new protocol of action, updated with the latest evidence on percutaneous pulmonary thrombectomy using dedicated catheters, for high-risk PE in pregnant women or during the early postpartum period.

Percutaneous pulmonary thrombectomy with aspiration catheters in patients with high-risk pulmonary embolism and absolute contraindication to systemic thrombolysis.

Background: High-risk Pulmonary Embolism (PE) mortality remains very high. Systemic thrombolysis is effective but carries significant complications and contraindications related to the hemorrhagic risk. Percutaneous thrombectomy using aspiration catheters may be an alternative in patients with a high bleeding risk.

Drug-Eluting Balloons in Calcified Coronary Lesions: A Meta-Analysis of Clinical and Angiographic Outcomes.

The usefulness of drug-eluting balloons (DEBs) has not been fully elucidated in calcified coronary lesions (CCLs). This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy of DEBs compared to a drug-eluting stent (DES) in this setting. PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane were searched through December 2023.

Experience with the ACURATE neo and neo2 transcatheter aortic valves in Spain. The PRECISA (PRospective Evaluation Complementing Investigation with ACURATE devices) registry.

Background: Previous studies have documented a high rate of implantation success with the ACURATE neo2 valve, as well as a reduction in paravalvular leak (PVL) compared to its predecessor, the ACURATE neo. However, there are no studies that have reviewed and compared the long-term clinical and hemodynamic outcomes of these patients.

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the results of the ACURATE neo transcatheter aortic valve in a real-world context, and to compare the results of the outcomes of both generations of this device (ACURATE neo and ACURATE neo2), with a specific focus on procedural success, safety, and long-term effectiveness.

Role of dynamic road-mapping in renal denervation procedures.

Dynamic road-mapping (DRM) (Dynamic Coronary Roadmap; Philips) offers a real-time, dynamic overlay of the coronary tree on fluoroscopy.

Percutaneous Pulmonary Thrombectomy Beyond Acute Pulmonary Embolism: Removing Organized Thrombus in Subacute Massive Pulmonary Embolism.

Mechanical thrombectomy using a thromboaspiration catheter can be an effective alternative in the treatment of subacute pulmonary embolism.

The BALTO Registry: Long-term results of percutaneous BALloon pericardioTomy in oncological patients.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze the efficacy and safety of percutaneous balloon pericardiotomy (PBP) in oncological patients who present with a malignant pericardial effusion (MPE).

Background: The use of PBP as a treatment for MPE is not standardized due to the limited evidence. Furthermore, the performance of a second PBP for a recurrence after a first procedure is controversial.

[Excimer laser coronary atherectomy in severely calcified lesions: time to bust the myth].

Introduction And Objectives: No previous studies have established the contemporary use and outcomes of Excimer laser coronary atherectomy (ELCA) in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of severely calcified coronary lesions. The aim of this study was to assess the safety, efficacy, and 1-year outcomes of ELCA in this setting.

Methods: We retrospectively examined the clinical and angiographic characteristics and procedural outcomes of severely calcified lesions treated with ELCA-assisted PCI in our institution between 2016 and 2022.

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio an inflammatory biomarker, and prognostic marker in heart failure, cardiovascular disease and chronic inflammatory diseases: New insights for a potential predictor of anti-cytokine therapy responsiveness.

In the 20th century, research focused on cholesterol and lipoproteins as the key mechanism in establishing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Given that some studies demonstrated subclinical atherosclerosis in subjects without conventional cardiovascular risk factors, the elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels alone cannot account for the entire burden of atherosclerosis. Hence, large-scale clinical trials demonstrated the operation of immune and inflammatory pathways in ASCVD.

Chronic Total Occlusion Techniques to Recanalize an Occluded Pulmonary Vein After Atrial Fibrillation Ablation.

Cardiac computed tomography (CT) scan was performed in a 69-year-old male with atrial fibrillation radiofrequency ablation who was admitted for transcatheter angioplasty of left inferior pulmonary vein (LIPV) stenosis due to recurrent hemoptysis. CT showed complete ostial occlusion in the area of the LIPV. Occlusion of the pulmonary vein ostium is a rare complication.

The role of vitamin D/calmodulin/calcium signalling/ACE2 pathway in COVID-19.

There has been suggestion that vitamin D may play a role in protection against severe infection with COVID-19, defined as the need of intensive care unit admission. In this article a potential mechanism involving angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is proposed.