Antonio Esteves

Extrinsic compression of the left main coronary artery by a dilated pulmonary artery: Clinical, angiographic, and hemodynamic determinants

Extrinsic compression of the left main coronary artery (LMC) by the pulmonary artery (PA) is a very unusual and poorly understood entity, usually associated with the presence of adult congenital heart disease. We identified 12 patients (age range, 6 months to 55 years) with LMC stenosis (≥ 50%) presumably secondary to compression by a dilated main PA and related to various forms of heart disease (11 congenital, 1 pulmonary hypertension). In all cases, the main PA was dilated with the main PA/aortic root diameter increased (mean, 2.0; normal value, ≤ 1.0), and in all but two, PA pressures were increased (> 30 mm Hg systolic). Left coronary trunk stenosis was usually visualized in only one angiographic view (best seen in 45° left anterior oblique, 30° cranial projection). The LMC also appeared to be inferiorly displaced and in close contact with the left aortic sinus (mean angle between sinus and LMC was 23° ± 13°, a control group was 70° ± 15°). In one patient, surgical correction of the dilated PA was associated with a reduction in LMC stenosis from 85% to < 50% and less inferior left main displacement (from 25° to 50°). Patients with a dilated main PA may exhibit extrinsic LMC compression leading to significant eccentric narrowing and downward displacement of the LMC. In the presence of significant dilatation of the main PA from any etiology, functional and/or anatomic studies should be performed to exclude significant LM obstruction. Cathet Cardiovasc Intervent 2001;52:49–54.

Desfechos tardios da intervenção coronária percutânea com stent farmacológico em pontes de veia safena: dados do registro InCor

BACKGROUND: The safety and efficacy of drug-eluting stents in the treatment of saphenous vein graft (SVG) lesions remains controversial. This study assessed the late follow-up of patients with SVG lesions treated with drug-eluting stents. METHODS: Single center registry including patients undergoing SVG interventions using drug-eluting stents (n = 82), without clinical or angiographic exclusion criteria, from 2003 to 2009. The rates of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), death, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), target vessel revascularization (TVR) and stent thrombosis were evaluated. RESULTS: Mean age was 67.8 ± 10.2 years, most of them were male (85.4%), 40.2% were diabetic and 52.4% had stable angina. An average of 1.45 ± 0.5 stents per patient were implanted and CypherTM was the stent used in most of the cases (61%). Stent diameter was 3.22 ± 0.39 mm and stent length was 20.1 ± 7.3 mm. Angiographic success rate was 96.3%. In the 4.1-year follow-up, the rate of MACE was 28%, death 6%, AMI 19.5% and TVR 18.2%. There were two cases of definitive or probable stent thrombosis (2.4%) within the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term follow-up showed high MACE rates in patients with SVG lesions treated with drug-eluting stents, probably due to the accelerated atherosclerosis that develops within the grafted vein conduits.

Primary coronary angioplasty in a nonagenarian

A woman aged 98 years entered the tertiary hospital service with a picture of acute myocardial infarction of the extensive anterior wall, which began 4 hours earlier. Due to the large myocardial risk area suggested by the electrocardiogram, the patient was taken to the hemodynamics laboratory for the performance of emergency coronary arteriography, which revealed occlusion in the proximal third of the anterior descending artery. Primary angioplasty followed by stent grafting was successfully performed. The patient had a satisfactory evolution (Killip I) and was discharged from the hospital on the seventh postinfarction day. We discuss here aspects of thrombolysis and coronary percutaneous interventions in the aged.

Evolução clínica de pacientes de alto risco cirúrgico submetidos a intervenção coronária percutânea em tronco da coronária esquerda não-protegido

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in unprotected left main coronary artery (LMCA) disease has proven to be an alternative to coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). However, late clinical results of PCI in these patients are scarce in the literature, especially in our country. METHOD: Data from a tertiary cardiology center registry, which included patients with contraindications to CABG undergoing LMCA PCI, from 2002 to 2009, were analyzed. Our objective was to evaluate the 1-year mortality. RESULTS: A total of 77 subjects were included in this analysis, mean age was 65.4 ± 13.7 years, 59.2% were male, 25% were diabetic, and 3.9% had renal failure requiring dialysis. Regarding the angiographic characteristics, 79.6% of lesions were type B2/C, with involvement of the ostium in 47.4% and distal bifurcation in 62.3%. In most cases PCI was performed as an emergency procedure (85.5%) and drug eluting stents were used in 17.5% of the patients. Hemodynamic support using an intraaortic balloon pump was used in 28.2% of the population. At the end of 1 year the probability of overall survival was 69.7% and almost all of the deaths occurred in the first month of follow-up. CONCLUSION: In this highly selected population with unprotected LMCA disease, including high-surgical-risk patients, in clinical emergency situations and with complex lesions, PCI is feasible and has acceptable 1-year mortality rates.