Right coronary ostial atherectomy: A really close shave

Percutaneous transluminal coronary balloon angioplasty (PTCA) has had limited success with higher complication and restenosis rates in aorto-ostial lesions. Directional coronary atherectomy (DCA) has been advocated as an alternative to PTCA in such lesions. In this report, we describe a potential complication of DCA in right coronary ostial lesions.     

Significance of characterization of non-culprit lesions: an underscored clinical problem

Sudden death or acute coronary syndromes are frequently the first manifestation of plaque rupture at non-culprit lesions. Thus, identification of high-risk non-culprit plaques may have significant impact on the prognosis of patients with coronary artery disease. At present a widely accepted diagnostic method to prospectively identify such 'high-risk' plaques is not available. Improved identification of high-risk plaques by novel imaging coronary modalities currently available is a goal of great importance since it will result in major decreases in coronary artery disease morbidity and mortality. Potential new treatments with systemic, regional, and local approaches have been proposed. In this review article we focus on common and different morphologic characteristics between culprit and non-culprit lesions, the natural history of non-culprit lesions, and potential methods to identify the high-risk lesions for future adverse cardiovascular events.     

Kombinierte Anwendung der nativen und kontrastverstärkten CT-Untersuchung zur Erfassung der koronaren Atherosklerose

BACKGROUND: The newest generation multi-detector-row CT scanner is allowed for investigation of the entire heart within a breathhold period of approximately 20 s. Within this time 250 slices with a thickness of 1 mm each are acquired. In conjunction with the ECG signal the images are acquired with a temporal resolution of 210 ms in the mid diastolic phase of the heart. TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS: In patients with a heart rate < 60 beats per minute images free of motion artefacts can be reconstructed, that allow for assessment of the coronary artery lumen as well as calcified and non-calcified lesions in the coronary artery wall. Such lesions may be differentiated into thrombus, atheroma and fibrocalcified plaques on the base of characteristic morphologic criteria. CORONARY HEART DISEASE IN CT: The absence of coronary artery lesions in symptomatic patients with atypical chest pain allows for reliable exclusion for coronary heart disease. In asymptomatic patients with cardiovascular risk factors we first perform an investigation without contrast media to detect coronary calcifications as a marker of atherosclerosis. To assess the complete extent of coronary atherosclerosis in high risk patients, we then consider a contrast enhanced CT study.     

Dobutamine stress echocardiography as a predictor of coronary lesion severity on coronary angiography.

In order to evaluate the capacity of dobutamine stress echocardiography (stress echo) to predict the severity of atherosclerotic lesions observed on coronary angiography in patients with coronary artery disease, we performed a retrospective study at Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia and Universidade Federal Fluminense, Brazil. The health records of 40 patients who underwent both stress echo and coronary angiography within a period of less than 14 days were assessed. For the stress echo analysis, the heart was divided into 16 segments and the different types of response assessed: biphasic, ischemic, viable or unchanged. The main arteries - left anterior descending artery (LAD), left circumflex coronary artery (LCx) and right coronary artery (RCA) and their branches - were studied by coronary angiography to assess the degree of obstruction (in %), the type of lesion (A, B1, B2 or C), and the presence or absence of collateral circulation. The following results were obtained: patients showing an altered response on stress echo (ischemic) presented a higher degree of coronary obstruction as well as more complex lesions in the anterior descending artery on coronary angiography. A higher degree of obstruction was associated with more complex lesions (in LAD, LCx and RCA) and collateral circulation (in LAD and RCA). The presence of more complex lesions also correlated with collateral circulation in the LAD. Based on these results, we concluded that dobutamine stress echocardiography is a non-invasive test capable of predicting the severity of coronary lesions in patients with chronic ischemic cardiopathy.     

Fractional Flow Reserve: An Updated Review

Revascularization of ischemia‐producing coronary lesions is widely used in the management of coronary artery disease. However, some coronary lesions appear significant on the conventional angiogram when they are truly non–flow limiting. For this reason, it is becoming increasingly important to determine the coronary physiology. Fractional flow reserve (FFR) has emerged as a useful tool to determine the lesions that require revascularization. Measurement of FFR during invasive coronary angiography now has a class IA indication from the European Society of Cardiology for identifying hemodynamically significant coronary lesions when noninvasive evidence of myocardial ischemia is unavailable. Current data on FFR can be broadly classified into studies that compare the diagnostic accuracy of FFR measurement compared with other noninvasive modalities and studies that test treatment strategies of patients with intermediate coronary stenoses using a threshold value for FFR and that have clinical outcomes as endpoints. In this review, we will discuss the concept of FFR, current evidence supporting its usage, and future perspectives.     

冠状动脉病变程度与估算肾小球滤过率的相关性

【摘要】 目的 研究冠状动脉病变程度与估算肾小球滤过率的相关性。方法 将在煤炭总医院心内科行冠状动脉造影的425例患者根据冠状动脉造影结果分为非冠心病组、冠状动脉单支病变组、冠状动脉双支病变组和冠状动脉三支病变组,收集患者的临床资料和相关生化检查指标,采用改良MDRD公式计算估算肾小球滤过率(eGFR),探讨冠状动脉病变程度与估算肾小球滤过率的相关性。结果 冠状动脉三支病变组血肌酐明显高于冠状动脉单支病变组,差异有统计学意义(123.72±165.88 vs 73.26±21.18, P<0.05);冠状动脉三支病变组eGFR低于冠状动脉单支病变组和冠状动脉双支病变组,差异有统计学意义(85.23±34.73 vs 98.33±34.62, 85.23±34.73 vs 96.30±32.84, P<0.05)。logistic回归分析显示：与冠脉双支病变相比eGFR与冠脉三支病变呈负相关(OR=0.987,95％CI 0.977-0.997,P= 0.014);与冠脉单支病变相比,血肌酐与冠脉三支病变呈正相关(OR=1.022,95％CI 1.003-1.040,P= 0.021)。结论 与冠脉双支病变相比,eGFR降低为冠脉三支病变的独立危险因素。肾功能不全与冠状动脉病变严重程度密切相关。     

A Sequential Approach to the Management of Ostial Coronary Lesions via the Modified Flower Petal Technique

There is still no consensus on the optimal technique for performing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in ostial coronary lesions, due to potential complications. The modified flower petal technique is one of the techniques to management of ostial lesions. It seems suitable technique in terms of covering the coronary ostium well. In this report, we discuss a patient who underwent PCI with sequential modified flower petal technique, first to the left anterior descending artery ostial lesion, and then to the circumflex artery (CXA) upon the ostium of CXA was affected after the procedure following coronary angiography.     

Usefulness of transthoracic echocardiography to detect coronary aneurysm in young adult: two cases of acute myocardial infarction due to Kawasaki disease

Transthoracic echocardiography is useful for evaluation of the coronary arteries in infants and children with Kawasaki disease. In adults, however, transthoracic echocardiography often cannot detect or accurately estimate coronary artery lesions. We describe two young adults admitted for a diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction ascribed to Kawasaki disease and treated by angioplasty. Coronary aneurysms were not evident in either patient at the time of angioplasty. However, follow-up transthoracic echocardiography revealed coronary aneurysms at the culprit lesions. On follow-up angiograms, we identified a new coronary aneurysm in the first patient, and a regressed coronary aneurysm in the second, confirmed by intravascular ultrasound imaging. These cases suggest that transthoracic echocardiography plays an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of young adults with acute myocardial infarction due to Kawasaki disease.     

Buddy wire technique for stent placement at non-aorto ostial coronary lesions

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of coronary non-aorto ostial lesions offers technical challenges not encountered with other lesion sub types. Stenting of these lesions improves acute angiographic result and lowers the rate of restenosis. However, precise stent placement at non-aorto ostial lesions is technically difficult with risk of incomplete lesion coverage or jailing of the main branch. In this report, we describe a buddy wire technique to facilitate precise stent placement at non-aorto ostial lesions.     

Radiofrequency thermal balloon coronary angioplasty: A new device for successful percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty

Objtctives. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of thermal balloon percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty using radiofrequency energy in the treatment of patients with failed coronary angioplasty and complex lesions. In addition, we evaluated restenosis after radiofrequency thermal balloonBackground. The efficacy of coronary angioplasty is limited by the relatively low success rate in complex lesions and the high frequency of restenosis. Few reports have studied the combined effects of pressure and laser thermal energy. This study describes a new device for coronary angioplasty using radiofrequency thermal energy.Methods. Thirty-two patients with failed conventional coronary angioplasty or complex lesions were treated with radiofrequency thermal balloon coronary angioplasty. Radiofrequency energy was delivered up to 11 times in exposures ranging from 30 to 60 s in duration. This combined effect allowed the vascular wall to be heated to temperatures ranging from 60 to 70 °C. Follow-up coronary angiography was performed, on average, 6 months after the procedure.Results. Successful radiofrequency coronary angioplasty was achieved in 28 (82%) of 34 lesions. There was one abrupt coronary artery occlusion (3%) and no death, perforation or dissection. Angiographic restenosis occurred in 14 (56%) of 25 lesions.Conclusions. In patients with failed coronary angioplasty and difficult complex lesions, radiofrequency coronary angioplasty could potentially improve angioplasty success rates and may have important implications for bailout cases with abrupt occlusion. However, restenosis remains a significant problem.     

Evaluation of oxidized low-density lipoprotein in the coronary circulation of patients with coronary artery disease, and its association with percutaneous coronary intervention

Hereby we report our observations derived from a study of 113 subjects who underwent coronary angiography; of whom 32 were free of coronary lesions (controls) and 27 underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In this work, we aimed to investigate the dynamics of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (OxLDL) and the possible effect of PCI on its levels within the coronary circulation of patients with coronary artery disease. We concluded that the mechanical maneuvers applied during PCI may not result in immediate local elevation of OxLDL levels within the coronary circulation of patients with coronary artery disease. Besides, we hypothesized that coronary atheroma might fix OxLDL, especially if mechanically disrupted by PCI.     

Coronary angioplasty: always a stent in arteries larger than 2.5 mm? The arguments pro

Coronary stenting has provided better results than balloon angioplasty in terms of primary success and restenosis in previous randomized studies. These studies only included short coronary lesions located in vessels larger than 3 mm. Thus, these results can not be applied to complex lesions or those located in small vessels. In the present article we summarize our points of view regarding the current indications of coronary stenting in these types of lesions, where the use of this device may be still controversial. In all these situations the results of the stent seem to be better to those previously reported with balloon angioplasty. However, there is a percentage of patients treated by balloon angioplasty in whom a good immediate and long-term result can be obtained. The identification of patients with optimal result after balloon angioplasty need a postprocedure study of coronary flow reserve. The comparison of optimal balloon angioplasty (by angiographic and coronary flow reserve criteria) and stent, is the main objective of 2 studies that are currently under process. We will have to wait the results of these clinical trials to answer to the question if the implant of stents in all kind of lesions located in vessel larger than 2.5 mm is of proper use. Our current opinion is that coronary stenting is a safe and fast method of coronary transcatheter therapy in many types of coronary lesions and it may be considered the more efficient technique of percutaneous revascularization.     

不稳定型心绞痛患者甲状腺激素水平与冠状动脉病变的关系

目的探讨不稳定型心绞痛患者甲状腺激素水平与冠状动脉病变的关系。方法测定159例不稳定型心绞痛患者血浆游离三碘甲状腺原氨酸(FT3)、血浆游离甲状腺素(FT4)、血浆反三碘甲状腺原氨酸(rT3)和促甲状腺素(TSH)。根据冠脉病变记分分为轻、中、重三组,并与19例冠状动脉造影正常者对照,比较各组甲状腺激素水平,分析甲状腺激素水平与冠脉病变的相关性。结果159例不稳定型心绞痛患者中,重度冠状动脉病变组的血清FT3水平明显低于对照组(P<0.05),中、重度冠状动脉病变组的血清rT3水平均明显高于对照组(P<0.01)。血清FT3水平与冠状动脉病变记分呈负相关,r=-0.3942,P<0.01,血清rT3水平与冠状动脉病变记分呈正相关,r=0.4233,P<0.01。结论不稳定型心绞痛患者血清FT3水平降低,rT3水平升高,FT3和rT3的变化在一定程度上反映冠脉病变的严重性。     

Angioscopic complex lesions are predominantly compensatory enlarged: an angioscopy and intracoronary ultrasound study.

OBJECTIVES: Atherosclerotic remodeling of the coronary artery may lead to compensatory enlargement or to shrinkage. Post-mortem data suggest a relation between compensatory enlargement and histopathological markers of plaque vulnerability. In patients that required a coronary intervention, we investigated retrospectively the relation between the angioscopic appearance and the remodeling mode of the culprit lesion. METHODS: In 34 patients, coronary angioscopy and intracoronary ultrasound (ICUS) imaging was performed across the culprit lesion before the intervention. Only single de novo lesions were included. With angioscopy, lesions with a smooth surface without thrombus were classified as smooth, whereas lesions with an irregular surface with or without thrombus were classified as complex. With ICUS, remodeling of the culprit lesions was determined by the relative cross-sectional vessel area (lesion vessel area/reference vessel area) x 100%. Lesions were divided into three groups: compensatory enlargement (relative vessel area > or = 105%), no-remodeling (relative vessel area between 95 and 105%) and shrinkage (relative vessel area < or = 95%). RESULTS: In 22 patients good images were obtained with both imaging modalities. More complex lesions were compensatory enlarged compared to shrunken lesions, whereas more smooth lesions were shrunken compared to compensatory enlarged lesions, 8/9 versus 2/7 and 5/7 versus 1/9, respectively (p = 0.035). CONCLUSIONS: In patients selected for coronary intervention, angioscopic complex atherosclerotic lesions were found predominantly in compensatory enlarged arterial segments, whereas smooth lesions were found predominantly in shrunken arterial segments.     

Extensive development of vulnerable plaques as a pan-coronary process in patients with myocardial infarction: an angioscopic study

OBJECTIVES: To test our hypothesis that the development of vulnerable plaques is not limited to the culprit lesions, but is a pan-coronary process, we directly observed all three major coronary arteries by angioscopy and evaluated the prevalence of yellow plaques in patients with myocardial infarction (MI). BACKGROUND: Although pathologic studies have suggested that the disruption of atheromatous plaque plays a major role in the development of acute MI, the prevalence of yellow plaques in the whole coronary arteries of patients with MI has not been clarified. METHODS: Thirty-two patients undergoing follow-up catheterization one month after the onset of MI were prospectively and consecutively enrolled in this study. The prevalence of yellow plaques and thrombus in the major coronary arteries was successfully evaluated in 20 patients (58 coronary arteries, 21 culprit lesions) by coronary angioscopy. The diameter stenosis (DS) of the culprit lesions and the maximal diameter stenosis (maxDS) of nonculprit segments were angiographically measured for each coronary artery. RESULTS: The DS of the culprit lesions and maxDS were 27 +/- 17% and 19 +/- 13%, respectively. Yellow plaques and thrombus were detected in 19 (90%) and 17 (81%) of 21 culprit lesions, respectively. Yellow plaques were equally prevalent in the infarct-related and non-infarct-related coronary arteries (3.7 +/- 1.6 vs. 3.4 +/- 1.8 plaques/artery). However, thrombus was only detected in the nonculprit segments of one (2%) coronary artery. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with MI, all three major coronary arteries are widely diseased and have multiple yellow though nondisrupted plaques. Acute MI may represent the pan-coronary process of vulnerable plaque development.     

Collateral vessels assessed by myocardial contrast echocardiography in patients with coronary artery lesions after Kawasaki disease

Summary Using myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE), coronary arteriography, and thallium-201 myocardial imaging (TMI), we examined the characteristics and the role of collateral vessels in 35 patients with coronary artery lesions after Kawasaki disease. The male/female ratio was 25∶10. The patients' ages at examination ranged from 1.0 to 20.3 years (mean, 10.8 years). The age at onset of Kawasaki disease ranged from 0.3 to 11.6 years (mean, 2.6 years). The coronary artery lesions were: dilated lesions without coexistent stenotic lesions in 5 patients (14%), localized stenosis with less than 50% narrowing in 5 patients (14%), localized stenosis with 50% or more narrowing in 4 patients (11%), and obstructive lesions, such as occlusion and/or segmental stenosis, in 21 patients (60%). In the group with no stenotic lesions and the group with less than 50% localized stenosis, the perfusion area of the right coronary artery was 32.6±8.4% and that of the left coronary artery was 76.3±7.9%. The total perfusion area of the right and the left coronary arteries was 108.9±2.6%, which value was inversely correlated with age at examination (r=0.716,P=0.020). In the group with more than 50% localized stenosis, an increase in overlap areas detected by MCE, where a perfusion defect was seen on TMI, was not found, except in 1 patient with 99% stenosis. In the patients with obstructive lesions, development of collateral channels was better in the perfusion area of the occluded right coronary artery than in that of the occluded left coronary artery, and well developed collateral channels were significantly correlated with good wall motion. We conclude that overlapping perfusion occurs in younger rather than in older children without stenotic coronary systems and this may contribute to the good development of collateral circulation in infants and young children with coronary artery lesions after Kawasaki disease.     

Angiographic and risk factor characteristics of subjects with early onset ischaemic heart disease.

Sixty-six consecutive patients less than 40 years of age with angiographically documented coronary artery disease and coronary heart disease took part in a study aimed at (1) identifying the presence of factors which might explain the premature onset of ischaemic heart disease, and (2) assessing the distribution and severity of the coronary artery lesions. For comparisons we have used a study of risk factors in 1832 men defined as "normals" according to a recent comprehensive examination. The findings show that the typical early onset coronary heart disease case is an overweight, heavily smoking male "blue collar" worker, with high serum levels, a marginally raised blood pressure, and a high prevalence of coronary heart disease among first degree relatives. Coronary angiography showed a preponderance of one vessel disease. In particular, left anterior descending artery lesions were common, which might have contributed to the early manifestation of disease.     

Replication in restenotic atherectomy tissue

Previously, we demonstrated that replication in restenotic coronary atherectomy specimens was an infrequent and modest event. In general, this data was interpreted with caution, as immunocytochemistry for the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was used to subjectively assess proliferation and most of the tissue specimens were resected more than 3 months after the initial interventional procedure. The purpose of the present study was to use a more sensitive method of detecting replication, in situ hybridization for histone 3 (H3) mRNA, to determine the replication profile of human directional atherectomy specimens. Restenotic directional coronary atherectomy specimens from lesions that had undergone an interventional procedure within the preceding 3 months were studied. In addition, larger atherectomy specimens from peripheral arterial lesions were assessed to ensure that pockets of replication were not being overlooked in the smaller coronary specimens. We found evidence for replication in tissue resected from 2/17 coronary and 9/12 peripheral artery restenotic lesions. In contrast, 3/11 specimens resected from primary lesions of peripheral arteries also expressed H3 mRNA. We estimated that the maximum percentage of cells that were replicating in restenotic coronary, restenotic peripheral and primary peripheral artery tissue slides to be <0.5, < or =1.2 and <0.01%, respectively. Replication was found in tissue specimens resected both early and late after a previous interventional procedure. For specimens with >15 replicating cells per slide we found high levels of focal replication. Therefore, cell replication, as assessed by the expression of H3 mRNA, was infrequent in restenotic coronary artery specimens, whereas peripheral restenotic lesions had more frequent and higher levels of replication regardless of the interval from the previous interventional procedure. For all specimens the percentage of cells that were replicating was low, however focal areas with relatively high replication indices were presented. Although replication was more abundant in restenotic lesions it does not appear to be a dominant event in the pathophysiology of restenosis.     

Effect of lesion characteristics on outcome of directional coronary atherectomy

Directional coronary atherectomy, a new transluminal procedure for treatment of obstructive lesions in coronary arteries by excision and removal of tissue, was performed on 447 lesions in 382 procedures. Successful outcome, defined as a reduction of stenosis by greater than or equal to 20% with a less than 50% residual stenosis, was achieved in 89.5% of lesions and mean stenosis was reduced from 75.9 +/- 13.3% to 14.5 +/- 22.1% (p less than 0.001). Complications included vessel occlusion during the procedure, 2.4%; vessel occlusion after the procedure, 1.3%; new lesion, 0.5%; nonobstructive guiding catheter-induced dissection, 0.3%; perforation, 0.8%; distal embolization, 2.1%; Q wave myocardial infarction, 0.8% and non-Q wave myocardial infarction, 4.2%. Twelve patients (3.1%) required coronary artery bypass surgery for these complications. The atherectomy success rate was greater than 80% and the combined atherectomy and angioplasty success rate was greater than 90% for complex morphologic features such as eccentric lesions, lengthy lesions, lesions with abnormal contour, angulated lesions, ostial lesions and lesions with branch involvement. In the presence of calcific deposition, atherectomy success rate was 52% for primary lesions and 83% for restenosed lesions. Among angiographically complex lesions, calcium was the predictor for failed atherectomy (p less than 0.0001). In summary, directional coronary atherectomy is safe and effective for treatment of obstructive lesions in coronary arteries in selected cases. In particular, it achieves a high success rate in lesions with complex morphologic characteristics, such as eccentricity, abnormal contour and ostial involvement.     

Balloon assessment of patent foramen ovale morphology and the modification of tunnels using a balloon detunnelisation technique

Background: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using a guiding catheter with small diameters may have a favorable impact on vascular access complications and patient morbidity. Here, we report the initial results of PCI using a 4‐Fr coronary accessor. Methods: A total of 31 patients underwent 4‐Fr PCI. Exclusion criteria for 4‐Fr PCI were (1) lesions associated with large side branches requiring wire protection or kissing balloon technique and (2) planned use of angioplasty devices which were not compatible with 4‐Fr catheter. Results: A total of 36 lesions, including 4 chronic total occlusions (CTO), were treated. Access sites included radial artery in 19 patients (61%), brachial artery in 8 (26%), and femoral artery in 4 (13%). Four‐Fr PCI was successful in 34 of 36 lesions (94%) in 29 of 31 patients (94%). One of the two unsuccessful patients was a case of CTO, and the other a case of tortuous right coronary artery. In both, crossover to a 6‐Fr PCI was necessary. Among successfully treated 34 lesions of the 29 patients, coronary stents were deployed in 30 lesions (88%). There were no stent dislodgements or inadequate contrast opacification. No access‐site related complications including radial artery occlusion were observed. Conclusions: PCI with a 4‐Fr coronary accessor is a viable alternative to the use of larger guide catheters. The advent of 4‐Fr stent delivery system may afford a less invasive approach for the treatment of patients with coronary artery disease. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.