Les implications médico-légales des infections sur les systèmes de fermeture percutanée artérielle

Percutaneous suture closure devices have reduced the time needed for manual compression and hospital stays, but several meta-analysis emphasized a higher risk of vascular damages compared to manual compression. Two cases of infections on percutaneous suture closure devices were analyzed; which had medico-legal issues. Beyond the medical point of view, the patient's complaints, the way lawyers and medical experts have examined the cases were analyzed and resulted in physicians and hospitals being sentenced. Rather than stigmatizing those devices, we just want to invite cardiologists not to underestimate this serious risk. Before using those devices, physicians should balance the risk-benefit ratio, follow prevention guidelines, and most of all, be aware of any single signs of emerging infection to detect and treat them early, and thus reduce the severity of infections thanks to a targeted antibiotic treatment adapted to the antibiogram and an active role of vascular surgeons.     

Exclusion percutanée de l’auricule gauche : perspectives

With its high prevalence and well-known thromboembolic risk, atrial fibrillation (AF) is a crucial component of the 2010–2014 actions plan, ongoing in France to reduce the annual incidence of stroke. The stroke risk is stratified well with the CHA₂DS₂-VASc score. With the current guidelines, most patients with AF should be on oral anticoagulant regimen, a treatment recognized as effective but whose bleeding risks limit its use. In clinical practice, warfarin is often not prescribed in patients with high risk of stroke. Thus, the exploration of new ways in preventing thromboembolic events in patients with AF is needed. Beside new more convenient anticoagulant agents, the exclusion of the left atrial appendage recognized as main source of thrombi, may be an alternative in patients with both high risk of thrombotic and haemorrhagic events. Surgical experience showed that the results depend on the quality of the exclusion. For over the past 10 years, several percutaneous exclusion systems of the left atrial appendage have been developed. A randomized study (PROTECT AF) demonstrated the non-inferiority of the percutaneous exclusion in comparison with the warfarin. However, the place of this interventional therapy remains to be clarified, particularly the definition of the target population. This often multidisciplinary approach will have to be accompanied by a reduction of periprocedural complications, increase in rate of complete occlusion, and enough long clinical follow-up to assess the efficiency of this strategy.     

Maladie de Dupuytren : l’aponévrotomie percutanée à l’aiguille est une alternative à la chirurgie

Dupuytren's contracture is a retractile fibrosis of the superficial palmar aponeurosis of the hand, resulting in a progressive and fixed flexion of the fingers that may result in severe limitation of hand function. It affects several millions of people in Europe and North America. Risk factors are genetic and sometimes related to mellitus diabetes. There is no spontaneous remission. Until recently, surgery was the only treatment, but now needle aponeurotomy emerges as a therapeutic alternative. It should be performed as first line treatment by a trained practitioner. Short and long-term results of needle aponeurotomy appear identical to those of surgery, with milder complications. It is indicated in palmar, palmo-digital, as well as in strictly digital forms of the disorder. The “table-test” is used to assess the loss of extension of the digit and to select the indication to needle aponeurotomy. A medico-surgical consensus should define the optimum treatment strategy in this affection.     

Infarctus du myocarde secondaire à l’occlusion aiguë simultanée des portions proximales de la circonflexe et de la coronaire droite : à propos d’un cas

Acute myocardial infarction due to simultaneous occlusion of two major coronary arteries is a rare phenomenon. We report a case of a 53-year-old man with many cardiovascular risk factors, who presented to the emergency with an acute coronary syndrome with ST segment elevation in anterior and inferior leads, complicated by atrioventricular block and cardiogenic shock. The coronary angiogram showed proximal occlusion of left circumflex artery and right coronary artery. Both arteries were treated successfully with thrombectomy followed by coronary stent implantation. Some similar cases have been reported, but the exact physiopathological mechanism is unknown. There is no clear strategy established for the therapeutic coverage, however, percutaneous revascularisation seems to be actually appropriated treatment.     

Commissurotomie mitrale percutanée associée à une communication interauriculaire type sinus venosus et un retour veineux anormal partiel : à propos d’un cas

Lutembacher's syndrome refers to the rare combination of congenital atrial septal defect and acquired mitral stenosis. It is rarely associated to partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection. This condition is treated surgically by mitral commissurotomy or mitral valve operation with concomitant closure of the atrial septal defect with correction of the abnormal pulmonary venous connection. Percutaneous mitral commissurotomy before surgery can be a therapeutic alternative when mitral valve stenosis is severe and valve anatomy is favourable. The authors bring back the case of a 24 years old man having mitral stenosis in sinus rhythm associated to sinus venosus septal defect and partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection. The diagnosis was made for the age of 17 years old on the occasion of dyspnea. He benefited in February 2003 of rescue percutaneous mitral commissurotomy because of pulmonary oedema. Mitral valve area increased from 0.7 cm² to 1.6 cm². The patient was clinically approved, so that he refused surgery and was lost sight. Seven years later (August 2010) he was taken back for a second rescue percutaneous mitral commissurotomy because of a very severe mitral stenosis (mitral valve area was 0.8 cm²), in pulmonary oedema with echocardiographic evaluated pulmonary hypertension at 68 mmHg. The trans-septal complicated of a false road from the right atrium, towards the pericardic cavity. The patient was operated as the matter of urgency, and benefited from a mitral valve replacement by mechanical prosthesis, of closure of sinus venosus septal defect by PTFE patch and correction of abnormal pulmonary venous connection. Operating suites were simple, and the postoperative echocardiography concludes to a good prosthesis profile, the absence of residual shunt and a decrease of pulmonary artery blood pressure from 68 to 40 mmHg. In conclusion, percutaneous mitral commissurotomy may be a waiting procedure for surgery of this disease or emergency treatment of it's valve anomaly, with regular monitoring while awaiting surgery faster and in better conditions.     

Dénervation rénale dans le traitement de l’hypertension artérielle résistante : expérience du CHU de Lyon

Aim

We report the first experience of Lyon's university hospital regarding renal denervation to treat patients with resistant essential hypertension.

Patients and methods

Over a one-year period, 17 patients were treated (12 men, 5 women) with renal denervation. Baseline characteristics were as follows: age 56.5 ± 11.5 years, BMI 33 ± 5 kg/m² and ambulatory blood pressure 157 ± 16/87 ± 13 mmHg with 4.2 ± 1.5 anti-hypertensive treatment.

Results

We did not observe per procedural and early complications. After a median follow-up of 3 months and with the same anti-hypertensive treatment, office systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) decrease respectively of 20 ± 15 (P < 0.001) and 10 ± 13 mmHg (P = 0.014) (n = 17). After six months of follow-up, ambulatory blood pressure (ABPM) decrease of 17.5 ± 14.9 mmHg (P = 0.027) for SBP and of 10.5 ± 9.6 mmHg (P = 0.029) for DBP (n = 6). Among these patients, five of them were controlled (ABPM inferior to 130/80 mmHg) and electrical left ventricular hypertrophy indexes decreased: R wave in aVL lead of 4 ± 3 mm (P = 0.031), Sokolow index of 3 ± 3 mm (P = 0.205), Cornell voltage criterion of 9 ± 7 mm (P = 0.027) and Cornell product of 1310 ± 1104 (P = 0.027).

Conclusion

Our results are in accordance with data from other centers. On average blood pressure decreases significantly but important inter individual variations are observed. The procedure seems safe.     

Prévalence et facteurs prédictifs du syndrome d’apnée obstructive du sommeil au décours de l’infarctus du myocarde

Background

Obstructive sleep apnea has been implicated in the pathogenesis and aggravation of coronary atherosclerosis. However, it remains underdiagnosed in cardiology practice.

Aim

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea and the predictors of severe sleep apnea in patients admitted for ST elevation myocardial infarction.

Methods

This was a prospective study which has included 120 patients hospitalized for ST elevation myocardial infarction, from April 2011 to March 2012. All patients have undergone an overnight sleep study using a portable polygraphy device, in the 15 days following the acute coronary syndrome. The diagnostic of obstructive sleep apnea was considered as apnea–hypopnea index of ≥ 5 events per hour, severe sleep apnea was defined as apnea –hypopnea index of ≥ 30. Subjective daytime sleepiness was assessed by the Epworth sleepiness scale. All patients have had an oxygen saturation monitoring in the coronary care unit using a pulse oxymeter, before undergoing the sleep study.

Results

The study population was made up of 102 men and 18 women. The mean age was 58 ± 12 years. Smoking was the major cardiovascular risk factor found in 72% of all patients, diabetes and hypertension were represented in 40% and 44% of the population, respectively. Eighty-seven percent of patients were admitted in the first 24 hours of symptom onset. A primary percutaneous coronary intervention was performed in 60% of cases while fibrinolysis was done in 10% of patients. The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea was 79%. Mean apnea–hypopnea index was 15.76 ± 14.93 and severe form was diagnosed in 16% of all patients. Multivariate analysis showed that Epworth sleepiness score of ≥ 4 and nocturnal desaturation below 82% were independent predictive factors for severe obstructive sleep apnea.

Conclusion

Prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea was very high in patients admitted for acute myocardial infarction. Epworth sleepiness score of ≥ 4 and nocturnal desaturation below 82% were independent predictive factors for severe form of sleep apnea.