M. Savage

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: an Australian single centre experience with medium term follow up.

Background:u2002 Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) is increasingly recognised in patients presenting with features of acute coronary syndrome. We present a single centre experience of TC with medium term follow up.

Pre-Hospital Ambulance Notification and Initiation of Treatment of ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction is Associated with Significant Reduction in Door-to-Balloon Time for Primary PCI

BACKGROUNDnMortality in ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is strongly predicted by the time from first medical contact to reperfusion. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of pre-hospital diagnosis by paramedics in the field on the door-to-balloon (DTB) times of patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous intervention.nnnMETHODSnParamedics in the field identified patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction on a 12-lead electrocardiograph, activated the cardiac catheter laboratory team from the field and initiated therapy with anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents in the pre-hospital setting. This cohort of patients was compared to a similar group of patients without pre-hospital diagnosis and notification. The primary outcome measure was DTB times. A secondary end point was mortality at 30 days and mortality at six months.nnnRESULTSnA total of 281 patients, mean age of 61.1±12.9 years underwent primary percutaneous intervention with pre-hospital notification occurring in 63 cases. DTB times were lower in those with pre notification than in those without pre-hospital notification (40.4 vs. 75.6 minutes, p<0.001). This represented a 47.6% shorter DTB time. A non-statistically significant mortality reduction at one month and six months was observed in the pre-hospital notification group (1.6 versus 4.3%, p= 0.307 and 1.6 versus 6.4%, p= 0.203, respectively).nnnCONCLUSIONnPre-hospital intervention at our centre had a powerful effect in reducing the time to reperfusion in patients with STEMI undergoing primary percutaneous intervention.

Outcomes Following Melody Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve Implantation for Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Dysfunction in Repaired Congenital Heart Disease: First Reported Australian Single Centre Experience

BACKGROUNDnTranscatheter pulmonary valve implantation (TPVI) with the Melody® transcatheter pulmonary valve (TPV) has demonstrated good haemodynamic and clinical outcomes in the treatment of right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) conduit dysfunction in patients with repaired congenital heart disease CHD. We present the first Australian single centre experience of patients treated with Melody TPV.nnnMETHODnA prospective, observational registry was developed to monitor clinical and haemodynamic outcomes in patients with RVOT dysfunction treated with the Melody TPV (Medtronic Inc, Minneapolis, United States).nnnRESULTSnSeventeen patients underwent TPVI with Melody TPV at The Prince Charles Hospital between January 2009 and February 2016 with a median (range) age of 34 (R: 15-60). Fifteen (88%) were NYHA Class 2 dyspnoea and 11 (59%) had corrected Tetralogy of Fallot. Indication for TPVI was stenosis in eight (47%), regurgitation in two (12%) and mixed dysfunction in seven (41%). Device implantation was successful in all patients. Peak RVOT gradient was significantly reduced and there was no significant regurgitation post procedure. There was one (6%) major procedural adverse event and two (12%) major adverse events at last recorded follow-up. There were no patient deaths. Follow-up cardiac magnetic resonance imaging revealed a significant reduction in indexed right ventricular end diastolic volume.nnnCONCLUSIONnThis study confirms the safety and effectiveness of TPVI with Melody TPV for RVOT dysfunction in repaired CHD.

Outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve implantation in high surgical risk and inoperable patients with aortic stenosis: a single Australian Centre experience

Degenerative aortic stenosis is the most common valvular heart disease in the elderly, and many patients are not suitable for aortic valve replacement surgery. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is a new therapeutic option for selected patients at high risk for surgery.

Right Heart Catheterisation: How To Do It

Right heart catheterisation (RHC) is a minimally invasive procedure that provides direct haemodynamic measurement of intracardiac and pulmonary pressures. It is the gold standard investigation for the diagnosis and management of pulmonary hypertension. This article will describe how to perform right heart catheterisation, indications and contraindications.

Retrospective study of first-generation drug-eluting stents, second-generation drug-eluting stents and non-drug eluting stent methods in the treatment of native vessel in-stent restenosis in real-world clinical practice

BACKGROUNDnThe efficacy of second-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) in treating in-stent restenosis (ISR) compared to first-generation DES and non-DES treatment methods in real-world cohorts has not yet been adequately addressed. This research intends to examine optimum treatment of in-stent restenosis, considering first-generation DES, second-generation DES and non-DES treatment methods in a real-world cohort.nnnMETHODSnRetrospective analysis was performed on 114 patients treated for native-vessel BMS or DES ISR. Thirty-two were treated with a first-generation DES (81% sirolimus, 19% paclitaxel), 32 with a second-generation DES (72% everolimus, 28% zotarolimus) and 28 with non-DES methods (32% bare-metal stent, 39% balloon angioplasty, 29% cutting balloon). The composite primary endpoint was total adverse cardiac events, recurrent stable angina, unstable angina, myocardial infarction (MI), target vessel revascularisation (TVR) and cardiac death at minimum clinical follow-up of six months.nnnRESULTSnPrimary endpoint rates were significantly higher in the non-DES and second-generation DES treatment groups than in first-generation DES (42.9%, 25.9%, 6.2%; p=0.004). Rates of MI and TVR were significantly higher in the non-DES treatment group, compared to first and second-generation DES (MI: 17.9%, 0%, 5.6%; p=0.018; TLR: 21.4%, 3.1%, 7.4%; p=0.041).nnnCONCLUSIONSnFirst-generation DES may be superior to second-generation DES and non-DES in treating BMS or DES ISR with regard to overall adverse cardiac events.