P321 NEOVASC REDUCER IMPLANTATION AS A USEFUL THERAPEUTIC CHANCE IN REFRACTORY ANGINA

Abstract

Abstract Refractory angina is a clinical condition caused by myocardial ischemia inadequately controlled by medical therapy and coronary revascularization. Emblematic case of this condition concerns a 72–year–old man with chronic coronary syndrome (percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty [PTCA] + drug–eluting stent [DES] on the proximal portion of the left main coronary artery [LMCA] in 2009 and PTCA + 2 overlapping DES on the proximal portion of the right coronary artery [RCA] in 2017) who accessed in the emergency room for unstable angina. The patient‘s past medical history was positive for repeated hospitalizations for unstable angina: in particular, was registered an admission in 2019 with angiographic evidence of intermediate stenosis 30% at the mid–distal tract of LMCA and good distant outcome of previously implanted stents on LMCA and RCA, and a further admission in 2021 with coronary evidence overlapping the previous one. In both hospitalizations, medical therapy optimization was carried out by adding also 2nd–line drugs to the antianginal therapy with Bisoprolol 2.5 mg and Amlodipine 5 mg such as transdermal Nitroglycerin 15 mg, Ranolazine 750 mg bis in die, and subsequently Trimetazidine 20 mg ter in die during the first and second hospitalizations, respectively. In the context of this re–hospitalization, coronarography was repeated again with evidence of unchanged angiographic picture from the previous one (2021) and, in view of the refractoriness of the anginal symptoms, was placed an indication for Neovasc Reducer device implantation. This device creates a pressor gradient in the coronary sinus, determining a redistribution of blood flow from the subepicardial areas to the ischemic subendocardial areas. Therefore, by performing jugular venous access we engaged the coronary sinus with 6F diagnostic catheter then by mother and child technique we placed the 9F guide catheter advancing as distally as possible in the coronary sinus and finally we implanted the Neovasc Reducer device (4 atm for 60‘‘), obtaining a good final angiographic result. At 6–month follow–up, the patient experienced symptomatic improvement, in particular he improved by 2 Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) angina classes. The Neovasc Reducer device, by improving quality of life and reducing the need for hospitalizations for unstable angina, is a viable therapeutic strategy in patients angina unresponsive to medical therapy and coronary revascularization.