Interventional Cardiology Review最新文献

Percutaneous techniques to treat obstructive coronary artery disease continue to evolve and the evidence base informing our practice is shared and summarised in international guidelines. In the UK, the British Cardiovascular Intervention Society represents and supports interventional cardiologists undertaking both coronary and structural interventions. Procedural data are collected in a national registry and these inform our understanding of UK practice and outcomes. These recommendations, pertaining to coronary intervention alone, are an update of those published in 2015 and describe the provision of percutaneous coronary intervention in the UK intended to provide optimal patient care.

Stent underexpansion (SU) and aorto-ostial lesions (AOL) are challenging conditions commonly faced during clinical practice in the setting of percutaneous coronary interventions. Compared to other interventional settings, both SU and AOL are associated with an increased risk of immediate and late events following percutaneous coronary intervention. Several specific strategies including the systematic use of intracoronary imaging and dedicated techniques for lesions' preparation and calcium debulking have been described. This narrative review summarises the currently available options for the diagnosis and treatment of both SU and AOL, highlighting the potential benefits and limits of each technique in these specific settings.

Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) is an abnormal dilatation of coronary artery segments, often linked with atherosclerosis. This report discusses two cases of CAE presenting as acute coronary syndrome. A 36-year-old man had proximal blockage in the left circumflex artery (LCx) and ectasia in the obtuse marginal artery and left anterior descending artery (LAD), while a 53-year-old male smoker had an ectatic LAD with a substantial thrombus. Both were treated with dual antiplatelet therapy (aspirin and clopidogrel) and non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs), specifically apixaban, along with atorvastatin. The first patient had complete resolution of LCx occlusion after 1 year, and the second patient had complete thrombus dissolution in the LAD in 2 months. These cases highlight the potential benefits of NOACs in managing CAE in acute coronary syndrome, suggesting that triple therapy can significantly improve clinical outcomes.

Coronary chronic total occlusions (CTO) are frequently identified during coronary angiography and remain the most challenging subset of coronary artery lesions to treat; however, advancements in techniques and materials have greatly improved success rates. Various crossing algorithms have been developed to standardise the approach to CTO interventions based on angiographic criteria. Antegrade wiring is typically the initial strategy of choice, particularly in cases of short and straight CTOs with tapered proximal cap. Similarly, retrograde crossing can be achieved through retrograde wiring, although this approach has a very low success rate. This review aims to outline how to perform a CTO analysis, clarify the fundamental features of guidewires and provide insights into both antegrade and retrograde wire-based approaches.

Unprofessional behaviour within cardiology has been well documented and commonly occurs within the cardiac catheterisation laboratory, with higher rates in interventional subspecialities. While most trainees have positive experiences and encounters within the catheterisation laboratory, around one in five report experiencing bullying. This not only has a significant negative impact on the individuals directly involved, but also on the wider multidisciplinary team; importantly, it will have a deleterious effect on patient safety. The British Cardiovascular Intervention Society established the Training Culture Focus Group in 2022 to analyse and offer potential solutions to this pressing issue. We recommend that a cohesive approach between trainers and trainees is the most effective way to reduce unprofessional behaviour incidents, thus improving departmental workplace culture and a subsequent reduction in adverse patient safety events.

Coronary artery disease remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide despite advancements in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). With an increasing ageing population, there is a significant challenge in addressing severe calcification in atherosclerotic plaque during angioplasty. This review article focuses on atherectomy strategies such as rotational atherectomy (RA), orbital atherectomy (OA) and excimer laser coronary angioplasty (ELCA) aimed at modifying calcified lesions and improving PCI outcomes. RA modifies plaque through rotational ablation, OA uses eccentrically mounted diamond-coated crown and has a reduced entrapment risk compared to RA. ELCA uses pulsatile laser energy to precisely ablate plaque tissue. This review provides insights into the mechanisms, procedural techniques and clinical outcomes associated with these calcium modification techniques. The selection of appropriate devices and adequate training are crucial for optimising lesion modification and enhancing procedural success. Further research and standardised protocols are required to overcome challenges associated with using these devices and expand their usage in clinical practice.

In the realm of innovative medical procedures, TEER (transcatheter edge-to-edge repair) has emerged as a promising field, showcasing significant growth and advancements. Mitral TEER has been performed for the last two decades; in contrast, tricuspid TEER is newer, with long-term outcomes pending. This article aims to provide a comprehensive review of the current literature, with a primary focus on outcomes and potential complications associated with both procedures. Both procedures carry a low risk of complications when done by experienced providers. A team approach involving specialists in cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, cardiac imaging and heart failure ensures comprehensive care. A unified approach encompassing preprocedural workup, risk assessment, and standardised care throughout the procedure and recovery contributes to successful outcomes.

In this article, we describe our first experiences implanting the AVEIR VR leadless pacemaker (Abbott) in Kazakhstani patients, a significant step in the development of this technology in Central Asia. This case series includes five male patients, with a range of symptoms (presyncope, dizziness and dyspnoea on exertion), ranging in age from 14 to 77 years; some individuals also had comorbidities, including atrioventricular block and AF. Indications for pacing were identified in each patient. The parameters of postimplantation stimulation and the results of initial observations were recorded. The procedure was quite successful and radiographic confirmation of the location of the leadless pacemaker was obtained. All patients demonstrated clinical improvement and satisfactory pacing parameters at early follow-up. The potential of the AVEIR leadless pacemaker to minimise lead insertion complications has been demonstrated, with no immediate complications observed in the patients in this study.

Coronary artery calcification is frequently encountered during percutaneous coronary intervention and its presence is associated with a higher risk of stent under-expansion which has been associated with long-term risk of stent failure. There are several different calcium modification strategies available, whether they be balloon-based devices (cutting/scoring and intravascular lithotripsy) or atherectomy devices (orbital atherectomy, rotational atherectomy, excimer laser coronary atherectomy) that are established for the modification of coronary calcification. Each strategy applies a different mechanism of action for calcium modulation and consequently the potential to combine modifying tools may offer synergistic advantages over device monotherapy. This article will focus on reviewing the evidence for the use of multiple calcium modification techniques and examine whether there really is any such synergistic effect of combining these tools.

COVID-19 patients may experience acute mesenteric ischaemia. Identifying acute mesenteric ischaemia is challenging, particularly as initial symptoms are often vague and easily overlooked. Early detection and immediate intervention to restore blood flow can prevent these severe consequences. Presented in this report are two cases of superior mesenteric artery (SMA) thrombosis following severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. CT scans demonstrated SMA thrombosis in both patients, with no evidence of bowel necrosis. Endovascular intervention with self-expanding stent placement was performed after angiographic confirmation of the diagnosis. At 6-month follow-up, both patients remained asymptomatic on dual antiplatelet therapy. Atypical gastrointestinal manifestations in COVID-19 patients should raise suspicion for uncommon complications, such as SMA thrombosis. For SMA occlusion without associated bowel necrosis, endovascular therapy represents a viable treatment approach.