We present a case of cardiac tamponade as the presenting sign of intolerance of a failed, non-functioning transplanted kidney. Through this case, we describe a refractory systemic inflammatory response with treatment escalation and ultimate resolution through transplant nephrectomy.
Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) poses a significant challenge in young female patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes. We report a case of a 43-year-old female presenting with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome, diagnosed with SCAD. Utilizing a Suoh 0.3 guidewire and microcatheter, successful percutaneous intervention was achieved. Notably, once a position in the true lumen was established, the use of a dual-lumen microcatheter facilitated the identification of the main branch of the true lumen through side-port contrast injection and enabled safe delivery of a second wire within it. This highlights the importance of tailored interventions and innovative tools in managing SCAD effectively.
A 56-year-old male truck driver with history of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to the left circumflex artery presented for worsening angina. A nuclear stress test showed a moderate reversible defect of the inferior wall. A chronic total occlusion of the mid right coronary artery with patent circumflex stent was documented by coronary angiography. After unsuccessful attempts with anterograde and retrograde wiring and dissection re-entry techniques, the subintimal tracking and re-entry (STAR) technique was utilized to advance the guidewire in an extraplaque fashion into the posterior descending artery and posterolateral branch with kissing balloon angioplasty at the bifurcation. A repeat stress test, as required by the state Department of Transportation, demonstrated a resolution of the previous reversible ischemia defect. The patient's symptoms also improved after STAR. Our case highlights an objective improvement of ischemia after STAR.
Severe tortuosity poses a challenge for chronic total occlusion (CTO) operators and decreases the success rate of CTO percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Extreme angulations are more common in patients with prior coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) especially at the distal graft anastomosis. We present three challenging CTO PCI cases performed in patients with prior CABG during which intracoronary snaring was implemented to overcome severe tortuosity and successfully recanalize the occlusions.
The occurrence of coronary artery stent detachment from the balloon is infrequent during cardiac procedures, although it poses a potentially grave consequence. It can result in the development of induced coronary thrombosis, myocardial infarction, and disruption of peripheral and cerebral blood circulation. There is no universally accepted procedure for extracting the stent, however, several techniques and their combinations can be employed based on the specific circumstances of the case and the ingenuity of the operator. Various techniques were employed to extract the stripped stent in the right coronary artery (RCA), and ultimately it was effectively retrieved using an untested approach.