Gabriele L. Gasparini

The first report of late stent thrombosis leading to acute myocardial infarction in patient receiving the new endothelial progenitor cell capture stent

The endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) capture stent is a stainless steel coronary stent covered with antibodies specific to EPCs surface antigens, designed to promote the faster formation of a functional endothelial lining. This may prevent both stent thrombosis and restenosis as well as reduce the need of prolonged double antiplatelet therapy. Here we report a case of late (156 days after implantation) EPC capture stent thrombosis and re-stenosis of a second EPC capture stent occurring both in the same patient after withdrawal of clopidogrel. Intravascular ultrasound performed during his acute admission showed undersizing of the stent with thrombosis. The present case raises the question about the safety of the EPC capture stent and the need to prolong at least for 6 months double antiplatelet therapy also in patients receiving this new stent.

Inflammatory substrate with eosinophils may be present in bare-metal stent thrombosis.

Coronary stent thrombosis is a rare but life-threatening event after percutaneous revascularization. We report an in-vivo documentation of the pathologic process in the setting of a very late thrombosis within a bare-metal stent, showing eosinophil infiltrates. Interestingly, our case indicates that eosinophil infiltrates might not be a peculiarity of late drug-eluting stent thrombosis.

Impact of Female Sex on Long-Term Outcomes in Patients With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Treated by Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

BACKGROUND Conflicting information exists about whether sex differences affect long-term outcomes in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS This retrospective study enrolled consecutive patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary PCI within 24 hours from symptom onset. Hazard ratios (HRs) of events with 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated in the overall population and in a propensity score matched cohort of women and men. RESULTS Among 481 patients, median age 66 years old, 138 (28.7%) were women. Women were older than men (72 vs 63 years, P<0.001), had a higher prevalence of hypertension (68% vs 54%, P=0.006), diabetes (27% vs 19%, P=0.04), and Killip class≥3 at admission (19% vs 10%, P=0.007). After a median follow-up of 1041 days women experienced a significant higher incidence of the composite of death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and hospitalization for heart failure (31.9% vs 18.4%, unadjusted HR 1.86; 95% CI, 1.26-2.74; P=0.002), driven mainly by heart failure (unadjusted HR 2.47; 95% CI, 1.12-5.41; P=0.024), without significant differences in death (unadjusted HR 1.49; 95% CI, 0.88-2.53; P=0.13), or nonfatal myocardial infarction (unadjusted HR 1.59; 95% CI, 0.78-3.27; P=0.19) and no increase in target lesion revascularization (9.4% vs 12.5%, unadjusted HR 0.77; 95% CI, 0.42-1.44; P=0.42). After propensity score matching the hazard of the composite endpoint was largely attenuated (HR 1.32; 95% CI, 0.84-2.06; P=0.23). CONCLUSIONS Women undergoing primary PCI experience worse long-term outcomes than men, but this difference is largely explained by their more adverse baseline cardiovascular profile.

Drug-eluting stents for the percutaneous treatment of the anastomosis of the left internal mammary graft to left anterior descending artery.

BackgroundData on the treatment of left internal mammary to left anterior descending artery (LIMA-to-LAD) anastomotic disease are scarce and not homogeneous. Both surgery and percutaneous interventions (PCI) have been attempted, but the most effective treatment has not yet been established. In particular, should PCI be performed, the role of stenting seems to be limited by less favorable results than in other subsets of lesions. ObjectiveTo assess the clinical impact of drug-eluting stent (DES) use in this particular subset of lesions. MethodsWe describe a cohort of patients treated with PCI on LIMA-to-LAD anastomoses, reporting acute 1-year clinical and angiographic outcomes. The clinical impact of DES use was evaluated as the requirement for target lesion revascularizations (TLR). ResultsFifty-six consecutive patients were evaluated. Acute procedural success was achieved in 52 patients (92.8%). Plain balloon angioplasty allowed acute procedural success in 15 patients (28.8%), whereas stenting was required in 37 patients (71.2%) with suboptimal results or to treat complications. Bare-metal stents (BMS) were used in 17 and DES in 20 patients, without differences in acute results. One-year clinical follow-up was available in 96.1% of patients. TLR were needed in 17.3% of patients. No significant differences were detected in TLR rates after treatment with BMS and DES (26.6% vs. 25%; P=0.99). Two late stent thromboses were observed after DES deployment. ConclusionPCI of the stenoses of LIMA-to-LAD anastomoses with DES did not provide any clinical improvement over BMS use in long-term outcomes; DES use was associated with some cases of late thrombosis.

Resolute Italian study in all comers: immediate and one-year outcomes.

Objectives: To assess clinical performance of the second‐generation Endeavor Resolute® drug‐eluting stents (DES) in an unrestricted high‐risk cohort of patients. Background: New‐generation DESs aim to further increase its clinical safety and efficacy by means of more biocompatible components limiting inflammatory response, assuring strut coverage and preserving endothelial vascular function. Methods: Between January 2008 and April 2009 820 unselected consecutive high‐risk patients (1,352 lesions) treated with the Endeavor Resolute® stent were enrolled in an independent multicenter registry. Primary end‐points of this registry were immediate procedural outcome, incidence of target lesion failure (TLF, defined as composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization) and rate of ARC stent thrombosis at 12‐months follow‐up. Results: High‐risk patient/lesion profile included acute coronary syndrome diagnosis in 57% of patients, diabetes mellitus in 23% and ACC/AHA type B2/C lesion in 74%. Endeavor Resolute® stent was used in an off‐label indication in 52% of cases with stent/patient ratio of 1.93 and average stented segment of 39.8±26.6mm. Immediate procedural success was accomplished in 96.0% of cases and at median 12‐month follow‐up TLF rate was 7.1% with 4.0% of clinically driven repeat revascularizations and 1.1% of definite/probable stent thrombosis incidence. At multivariable analysis, nor off‐label Endeavor Resolute® stent use or multiple stent implantations were associated to an increased risk of adverse events. Conclusions: Extensive use of the new Endeavor Resolute® stent was associated with favorable procedural and 12‐month outcomes despite the treatment of unselected complex clinical and anatomical presentation. Endeavor Resolute® stent showed excellent safety and efficacy profile also in off‐label indications.

Gender paradox in outcome after percutaneous coronary intervention with paclitaxel eluting stents.

AIMS To evaluate in-hospital and long-term outcome of women undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with paclitaxel-eluting stents (PES) as compared to men and historic controls treated with bare metal stents. METHODS AND RESULTS Eight-hundred and ten (810) consecutive patients (642 men and 168 women) with PES were analysed and also compared with 3,515 patients (2,811 men and 704 women) with at least one bare metal stent in the three years previous. In the PES group, women were significantly older than men (mean age of 68+/-10 vs. 63+/-10 years, p<0.001), with more diabetes (39.9 vs. 29.7%, p<0.05), smaller treated vessels (<2.5 mm in 34.9 vs. 24.8%, p=0.003), more left-anterior descending lesions (56.6 vs. 43.2%, p<0.001). More men had multivessel disease (78.8 vs. 62.5%, p<0,001), dyslipidaemia (73.2 versus 65.4%, p<0.05), smoking habit (74.3 versus 34.5%, p<0.001) or prior revascularisation (49.7 versus 36.1%, p<0.05). Compared to bare metal stents, similar higher risk features were recorded in women over time. No gender specific differences in in-hospital outcome were observed. At 12 months the rates of cardiac death, acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and late thrombosis were respectively 2.0%, 3.7% and 0% in women and 2.1%, 3.2%, and 1.2% in men (all p=NS). CONCLUSIONS Albeit with worse baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics in women, very high immediate success rates and a positive outcome can be achieved in both sexes after PES.

Immediate removal of femoral-sheath following protamine administration in patients undergoing intracoronary paclitaxel-eluting-stent implantation

Background: Immediate sheath-removal using post-procedural reversal of heparin with protamine reduces groin complications, shortens bed rest and hospital stay after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with bare-metal stents. No data are available with newer and possibly more thrombogenic paclitaxel-eluting stents (PES). Aim: We assessed the safety and efficacy of post-procedural protamine administration after successful coronary PES implantation in elective PCI and in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Methods: A consecutive series of 291 patients received 0.5 mg of protamine per 100 units of heparin whenever the post-procedural ACT was > 180 seconds, followed by immediate removal of the sheath (protamine group). Outcomes were compared to a historic control group comprising 291 consecutive patients, who also underwent PCI with PES, but without reversal of anticoagulation by protamine (non protamine group). The incidence of post-procedural vascular complications and bleeding complications, as well as hospital stay, were compared; as were the incidence of major cardiac events at 24 h, 30 days and 6 months. Results: The post-procedural bleeding complications were significantly higher in the non-protamine group. Vascular complications were also more frequent in patients who were not treated with protamine. Hospitalisation length was significantly lower in the protamine group than in the non-protamine group (13.6 ± 7 h versus 20.41 ± 3.9 h; p < 0.001). The protamine-group patients also had a significantly reduced bed rest (10.3 h ± 5.6 h versus 18 h ± 3.5 h; p < 0.001). During hospitalisation, after PES implantation, no deaths or acute stent thrombosis were observed in either group. The overall incidence of thrombosis and major adverse cardiac events at follow-up were similar in the two groups. Conclusions: Immediate heparin neutralisation by protamine after successful PES implantation appears to be safe and feasible, also in patients with ACS. Use of protamine and early sheath removal after PCI confers early deambulation and may significantly limit healthcare cost, reduce vascular complications, bedrest, delayed discharge and patient discomfort.

Intra-Arterial Thrombolysis for Left Middle Cerebral Artery Embolic Stroke During Coronary Angiography

Cerebral thromboembolism is an uncommon but serious complication of cardiac catheterization. Early diagnosis and rapid treatment by reperfusion techniques have been shown to prevent long-term neurological morbidity. We report 2 consecutive cases of successful local intra-arterial thrombolysis (LIT) for embolic stroke of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) during diagnostic coronary angiography that resulted in complete neurological recovery. A 77-year-old woman with severe valvular aortic stenosis was admitted to our catheterization laboratory for a preoperative coronary angiography. Performed from the femoral approach, it showed a normal angiographic pattern. Immediately after the procedure, the patient became stuporous with right hemiplegia and global aphasia. She was hemodynamically stable. The left carotid digital subtraction angiography that was performed immediately revealed total occlusion of the M2 part of the left MCA. There was no extravasation of contrast (Figure 1). We decided to administer selective intra-arterial urokinase infusion. After systemic heparinization (bolus of 5000 UI), a 6F Amplatz Right Guide catheter was placed in the left internal …

Percutaneous aortic valve in severe valvular regurgitation caused by infective endocarditis.

Recently, the feasibility and safety of percutaneous aortic valve replacement (PAVR) have been reported in the treatment of degenerative aortic valve stenosis in patients at high-risk for surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR). However, so far this therapy has been limited to patients with severe stenosis of the native valve. We report the case of an 84 year old patient with severe aortic regurgitation caused by infective endocarditis who was successfully treated by implantation of a CoreValve (CoreValve Inc, Irvine. Calif) prosthesis with a totally percutaneous approach.

The Balloon‐Microcatheter technique for treatment of coronary artery perforations

Coronary perforation (CP) is a rare but potentially lethal complication of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Management of CP is mainly conditioned by the extension of coronary rupture and location of the perforation. Successful treatment is highly affected by the operators familiarity with tools and dedicated techniques to achieve prompt sealing of the disruption. We describe a “Balloon‐Microcatheter” technique that may allow fast, safe, and effective management of CP with a single ≥ 6 Fr guiding catheter.