Matthew Elmore

Percutaneous coronary intervention using a combination of robotics and telecommunications by an operator in a separate physical location from the patient: an early exploration into the feasibility of telestenting (the REMOTE-PCI study)

AIMS The present study explores the feasibility of telestenting, wherein a physician operator performs stenting on a patient in a separate physical location using a combination of robotics and telecommunications. METHODS AND RESULTS Patients undergoing robotic stenting were eligible for inclusion. All manipulations of guidewires, balloons, and stents were performed robotically by a physician operator located in an isolated separate room outside the procedure room housing the patient. Communication between the operating physician and laboratory personnel was via telecommunication devices providing real-time audio and video connectivity. Among 20 patients who consented to participate, technical success, defined as successful advancement and retraction of guidewires, balloons, and stents by the robotic system without conversion to manual operation, was achieved in 19 of 22 lesions (86.4%). Procedural success, defined as <30% residual stenosis upon completion of the procedure in the absence of death or repeat revascularisation prior to hospital discharge, was achieved in 19 of 20 patients (95.0%). There were no deaths or repeat revascularisations prior to hospital discharge. CONCLUSIONS To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first to explore the feasibility of telestenting. Additional studies are required to determine if future advancements in robotics will facilitate telestenting over greater geographic distances.

Impact of robotics and a suspended lead suit on physician radiation exposure during percutaneous coronary intervention

BACKGROUND Reports of left-sided brain malignancies among interventional cardiologists have heightened concerns regarding physician radiation exposure. This study evaluated the impact of a suspended lead suit and robotic system on physician radiation exposure during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS Real-time radiation exposure data were prospectively collected from dosimeters worn by operating physicians at the head- and chest-level during consecutive PCI cases. Exposures were compared in three study groups: 1) manual PCI performed with traditional lead apparel; 2) manual PCI performed using suspended lead; and 3) robotic PCI performed in combination with suspended lead. RESULTS Among 336 cases (86.6% manual, 13.4% robotic) performed over 30weeks, use of suspended lead during manual PCI was associated with significantly less radiation exposure to the chest and head of operating physicians than traditional lead apparel (chest: 0.0 [0.1] μSv vs 0.4 [4.0] μSv, p<0.001; head: 0.5 [1.9] μSv vs 14.9 [51.5] μSv, p<0.001). Chest-level radiation exposure during robotic PCI performed in combination with suspended lead was 0.0 [0.0] μSv, which was significantly less chest exposure than manual PCI performed with traditional lead (p<0.001) or suspended lead (p=0.046). In robotic PCI the median head-level exposure was 0.1 [0.2] μSv, which was 99.3% less than manual PCI performed with traditional lead (p<0.001) and 80.0% less than manual PCI performed with suspended lead (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Utilization of suspended lead and robotics were observed to result in significantly less radiation exposure to the chest and head of operating physicians during PCI.

Multimodality Intracoronary Imaging With Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Intravascular Ultrasound in Asymptomatic Individuals With High Calcium ScoresCLINICAL PERSPECTIVE

Background— This study sought to determine the frequency of large lipid-rich plaques (LRP) in the coronary arteries of individuals with high coronary artery calcium scores (CACS) and to determine whether the CACS correlates with coronary lipid burden. Methods and Results— Combined near-infrared spectroscopy and intravascular ultrasound was performed in 57 vessels in 20 asymptomatic individuals (90% on statins) with no prior history of coronary artery disease who had a screening CACS ≥300 Agatston units. Among 268 10-mm coronary segments, near-infrared spectroscopy images were analyzed for LRP, defined as a bright yellow block on the near-infrared spectroscopy block chemogram. Lipid burden was assessed as the lipid core burden index (LCBI), and large LRP were defined as a maximum LCBI in 4 mm ≥400. Vessel plaque volume was measured by quantitative intravascular ultrasound. Vessel-level CACS significantly correlated with plaque volume by intravascular ultrasound (r=0.69; P<0.0001) but not with LCBI by near-infrared spectroscopy (r=0.24; P=0.07). Despite a high CACS, no LRP was detected in 8 (40.0%) subjects. Large LRP having a maximum LCBI in 4 mm ≥400 were infrequent, found in only 5 (25.0%) of 20 subjects and in only 5 (1.9%) of 268 10-mm coronary segments analyzed. Conclusions— Among individuals with a CACS ≥300 Agatston units mostly on statins, CACS correlated with total plaque volume but not LCBI. This observation may have implications on coronary risk among individuals with a high CACS considering that it is coronary LRP, rather than calcification, that underlies the majority of acute coronary events.

Response by Madder et al to Letter Regarding Article, “Multimodality Intracoronary Imaging With Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Intravascular Ultrasound in Asymptomatic Individuals With High Calcium Scores”

We agree with Drs Shaikh and Budoff on the necessity of additional studies to investigate whether detection of lipid-rich plaque (LRP) by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) can add incremental value to the coronary artery calcium score (CACS) in the prediction of future cardiovascular events. In our recent study, we demonstrated that NIRS adds information on the presence or absence of LRP among individuals with a high CACS.1 A logical next step is to determine if …

TCT-852 Impact of Robotics and a Suspended Lead Suit on Physician Radiation Exposure During Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

CONCLUSION Our data showed high procedural success rate of early PCI strategy in pts with OHCA. OHCA caused by ACS may be missed if decision-making is based on ECG alone. The percentage of pts free of neurological impairment in the PCI group is high. Interventional cardiologist should become part of a “post-resuscitation team” in order to optimize therapeutic strategy of OHCA pts. Building a network for OHCA management would probably improve survival and CPCs of pts.