Chronic total occlusion:To treat or not to treat

Over the last two decades,there has been increasing interest in new techniques for the percutaneous treatment of coronary chronic total occlusions(CTO),which have a success rate that is much higher than that of a few years ago.The rise in percutaneous treatment for these lesions is due to its ability to improve the symptoms and prognosis of patients in the chronic and stable phase of coronary disease.Current data suggest that successful percutaneous coronary intervention for CTO is associated with improvement in patient symptoms,quality of life,left ventricular function,and survival,compared with those with unsuccessful CTO PCI.However,all the scientific evidence supporting this treatment comes from observational studies,and no randomized study comparing percutaneous treatment with medical treatment has yet been published.A major limitation of these studies is their observational design,with limited information with regard to potential baseline differences between the successful vs unsuccessful cohorts.Pending randomized studies,patients should be selected very carefully,especially if they are asymptomatic or very few symptoms,and the benefits obtained in terms of complications during the procedure,the quality of life obtained and further ischemic events avoided should be evaluated systematically.In this review,we will consider the available information supporting percutaneous treatment for chronic occlusions,as well as the areas of uncertainty where more research projects are required.     

Safety and efficacy of drug-eluting stents and bare metal stents in acute coronary syndrome

Compared with medical therapy, percutaneous coronary intervention has been shown to reduce the rates of death and recurrent ischemia in patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). In the current interventional era, both drug-eluting stents (DES) and bare-metal stents (BMS) have been widely used, despite the fact that the use of DES in the context of ACS was initially an “off-label” indication and that ACS has been associated with stent thrombosis (ST). In contrast to the wealth of data available for the use of DES in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction, data regarding the performance of DES in non–ST-elevation ACS is restricted to a handful of registries with conflicting data. The aim of this review was to summarize the safety and efficacy of DES in the entire spectrum of ACS.     

超选择性动脉栓塞治疗急性肾出血

目的 探讨超选择性肾动脉栓塞治疗急性肾出血的价值.方法 采用4 F导管或(和)2.7 F微导管注入钢圈或(和)微钢圈、聚乙烯醇颗粒超选择性肾动脉栓塞治疗17例严重肾出血患者.5例患者于术前行多层螺旋CT血管造影(CTA)检查,9例患者于术后4 d～54个月行CT平扫、增强扫描与CTA检查.结果 17例患者均一次性介入...     

Role of intravascular ultrasound in unprotected left main percutaneous coronary intervention

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to the unprotected left main stem offers an attractive alternative to bypass grafting, but is associated with a significant clinical risk and therefore demands special consideration. Successful left main PCI is dependent upon the morphology of the lesion and the technical quality of the procedure. For these reasons, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) has been the most popular adjunct to coronary angiography during left main PCI. However, trials of IVUS in left main PCI have produced inconclusive results, and most data predate the use of drug-eluting stents. Despite this, IVUS offers practical benefits in both case selection, and in guiding angioplasty and stenting. Here, we review the arguments for the present and future role of IVUS in left main PCI.     

Role of Antiischemic Agents in the Management of Non‐ST Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome (NSTE‐ACS)

Non‐ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE‐ACS) is the commonest acute presentation of coronary artery disease (CAD). Mortality and morbidity of the condition has improved substantially over the last few decades as a result of the cumulative effect of multiple interventions acting via different mechanisms. Despite a significant increase in the rate of coronary intervention, medical therapy continues to retain a central role in the treatment of NSTE‐ACS particularly in frail patients where revascularization is inappropriate or when it is incomplete. Several antiischemic agents have been used in the treatment of the condition. Beta blockers are often the first‐line choice with calcium channel blockers and nitrates being used as an alternative when beta blockers are contraindicated, or as an addition to achieve optimal symptom control. Newer agents, such as nicorandil, ivabradine, and ranolazine have also been used in refractory cases. Although most of these agents have been extensively studied in large randomized controlled trials in patients with stable CAD or ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (STE‐ACS), the evidence supporting their use in NSTE‐ACS is less clear cut. In this article, we review various drugs available for controlling ischemia and the latest evidence in support of their use in NSTE‐ACS.