Angiographic Characteristics Research Articles

Impact of Bifurcation Involvement and Location in Chronic Total Occlusion Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Insights From the EuroCTO Registry

Bifurcation involvement close to or within the occluded segment poses increasing difficulties for chronic total occlusion (CTO)-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, this variable is not considered in the angiography-based CTO scoring systems nor has been extensively investigated in large multicenter series. Accordingly, we analyzed a CTO-PCI registry involving 92 European centers to explore the incidence, angiographic and procedural characteristics, and outcomes specific to CTO-PCIs with bifurcation involvement. A total of 3,948 procedures performed between January and November 2023 were examined (33% with bifurcation involvement). Among bifurcation lesions, 38% and 37% were located within 5 mm of the proximal and distal cap, respectively, 16% within the CTO body, and in 9% of cases proximal and distal bifurcations coexisted. When compared with lesions without bifurcation involvement, CTO bifurcation lesions had higher complexity (J-CTO 2.33 ± 1.21 vs 2.11 ± 1.27, p <0.001) and were associated with higher use of additional devices (dual-lumen microcatheter in 27.6% vs 8.4%, p <0.001, and intravascular ultrasound in 32.2% vs 21.7%, p <0.001). Radiation dose (1,544 [836 to 2,819] vs 1,298.5 [699.1 to 2,386.6] mGy, p <0.001) and contrast volume (230 [160 to 300] vs 190 [130 to 250] ml, p <0.001) were also higher. Technical success was similar (91.5% with bifurcation involvement vs 90.4% without bifurcation involvement, p = 0.271). However, the bifurcation lesions within the CTO segment (intralesion) were associated with lower technical success than the other bifurcation-location subgroups (83.7% vs 93.3% proximal, 93.4% distal, and 89.0% proximal and distal, p <0.001). On multivariable analysis, the presence of an intralesion bifurcation was independently associated with technical failure (odds ratio 2.04, 95% confidence interval 1.24 to 3.35, p = 0.005). In conclusion, bifurcations are present in approximately one-third of CTOs who underwent PCI. PCI of CTOs with bifurcation can be achieved with high success rates except for bifurcations within the occluded segment, which were associated with higher technical failure.

ASSESSMENT OF SAFETY AND FEASIBILITY OF ROTATIONAL ATHERECTOMY (RA) VERSUS CONVENTIONAL STENTING IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC TOTAL OCCLUSION (CTO) LESIONS

Chronic total occlusion (CTO) sores in coronary arteries present a challenge in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) because of their complex anatomy and high rates of procedural failure. Objectives: In this comparative study, we aim to investigate the safety and feasibility of rotational atherectomy (RA) versus conventional stenting in patients with chronic total occlusion (CTO) lesions. Methods: This comparative study was conducted at Ayub teaching hospital from September 2023 to December 2023. Data was collected from 110 patients from both genders. Patients aged &gt; 18 years and diagnosed with chronic total occlusion (CTO) lesions in coronary arteries confirmed by coronary angiography were included in the study. Baseline demographic and clinical data, including age, gender, comorbidities, and angiographic characteristics, were collected for each participant. Additionally, procedural details such as the type of intervention, rotational atherectomy, conventional stenting, procedural time, fluoroscopy time, contrast volume, and any adverse events encountered during the procedure were recorded. Results: Data were collected from 110 patients from both genders. The mean age of participants in the Rotational Atherectomy (RA) group was 62.4 ± 7.3 years, while in the Conventional Stenting group, it was 61.8 ± 6.9 years. There were 40 males and 15 females in the RA group, compared to 38 males and 17 females in the Conventional Stenting group. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus was 42.0% in the RA group and 45.5% in the Conventional Stenting group. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 53.7 ± 4.2% in the RA group and 54.1 ± 4.5% in the Conventional Stenting group. The RA group showed a success rate of 81.8%, and the conventional stenting group achieved a success rate of 90.9%. However, the RA group experienced slightly higher rates of major procedural complications (9.1% vs. 5.5%) and minor procedural complications (12.7% vs. 10.9%) than the conventional stenting group. Conventional stenting group, the mean change was -1.2 ± 0.7. Additionally, the incidence of target lesion revascularisation (TLR) was observed in 8 patients (14.5%) in the RA group and 12 patients (21.8%) in the conventional stenting group. Furthermore, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) occurred in 9 patients (16.4%) in the RA group and 11 patients (20.0%) in the conventional stenting group. Conclusion: It is concluded that both rotational atherectomy (RA) and conventional stenting are effective and safe treatment options for patients with chronic total occlusion (CTO) lesions. Our findings suggest that both strategies yield comparable procedural success rates, complication rates, and efficacy outcomes, including myocardial infarction frequency, troponin levels, and left ventricular ejection fraction changes.

High-risk coronary plaque of sudden cardiac death victims: postmortem CT angiographic features and histopathologic findings

High-risk coronary plaques (HRP) are characterized in clinical radiological imaging by the presence of low plaque attenuation, a napkin-ring sign (NRS), spotty calcifications (SC) and a positive remodeling index (RI). To evaluate if these signs are detectable in postmortem imaging by a multi-phase postmortem CT angiography (MPMCTA), a retrospective study of a series of autopsy well-documented coronary plaques related to sudden cardiac death (SCD) was performed. Then correlations between histological and radiological findings were described. Fourty SCD cases due to acute coronary syndrome based on clinical history and confirmed at autopsy were selected (28 men and 12 women, age 53.3 ± 10.9). The culprit lesion was mainly situated in the proximal segments of coronary arteries, in the right coronary artery in 23 cases (57.5%), the left anterior descending artery in 13 cases (32.5%), the circumflex artery in 3 cases (7.5%) and in one case in the left main stem. MPMCTA showed a positive RI (≥ 1.1) in 75% of cases with a mean RI 1.39 ± 0.71. RI values were lower in cases with fibrotic plaques. NRS was observed in 40% of cases, low attenuation plaque in 46.3%, and SC in 48.7% of cases. There were significant correlations of the radiological presence of NRS for fibrolipid composition of the plaque (p-value 0.007), severe intraplaque inflammation (p-value 0.017), severe adventitial inflammation (p-value 0.021) and an increased vasa vasorum (p-value 0.012). A significant correlation (p-value 0.002) was observed between the presence of SC at radiological examination and the presence of punctuate/fragmented calcification at histology. In addition, in 58.3% of cases, plaque enhancement was observed, which correlated with plaque inflammation and the fibrolipid composition of the plaque. The coronary artery calcium score was 314 (± 455). There was a poor agreement between stenosis of the lumen at histology versus radiology. Our study shows that the various radiological signs of HRP can be detected in all plaques by MPMCTA, but individually only to a variable extent; plaque enhancement appeared as a new sign of vulnerability. In the postmortem approach, these radiological markers of HRP, should always be applied in combination, which can be useful for developing a predictive model for diagnosing coronary SCD.

Evaluating the diagnostic performance of non-contrast magnetic resonance angiography sequences in the pre-procedural comprehensive analysis of direct carotid cavernous fistula.

Endovascular treatment of direct carotid cavernous fistula (DCCF) requires invasive diagnostic cerebral angiography for diagnosis and planning; however, a less invasive modality like magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) can be useful, especially in high-risk cases. This single-centre study evaluated a newer MR angiography (MRA) sequence, silent MRA and the traditional time of flight (TOF) MRA for pre-procedural treatment planning of DCCF. All consecutive DCCF patients who underwent TOF, silent MRA and diagnostic cerebral angiography were included in the study. Angiographic features like rent size, location, draining veins and collateral communicating arteries were analysed and compared between the two MRA sequences, with digital subtraction angiography (DSA) as the gold standard. Fifteen patients were included in the study. TOF MRA exhibited better sensitivity (76.9% vs 69.2%) in identifying the rent location, correctly pinpointing the location in 93.3% compared to 73.3% with silent MRA. Both MRA sequences showed good agreement with DSA for primary sac and rent size. TOF MRA correctly identified 86.2% of 210 total venous structures compared to 96% by silent MRA. Silent MRA demonstrated higher sensitivity (90% vs 76%) and accuracy (87.69 vs 94.36) in visualisation of involved veins compared to TOF MRA. Arterial characteristics of DCCF like rent location and rent size were better assessed by TOF MRA. Although both MRA identified venous features, silent MRA correlated better with DSA irrespective of the size and proximity to the site of the fistula. Combining both sequences can evaluate various angioarchitectural features of DCCF useful for therapeutic planning.

Characteristics of Patients with Wellens Syndrome Who Underwent Coronary Angiogram: A Single Center Experience

Introduction: Wellens syndrome refers to a characteristic set of ECG abnormalities associated with simultaneous severe stenosis of the proximal part of the left anterior descending artery (LAD). Early intervention with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is paramount otherwise may result in anterior wall myocardial infarction or even death.Objectives: The major objective of this study was to determine the clinical, echocardiographic and angiographic features which are specific to Wellens syndrome in order to diagnose the patients and manage them urgently to reduce morbidity and mortality.Methodology: 52 patients with Wellens syndrome were recruited for a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in the cardiology unit of the National Hospital of Kandy, Sri Lanka. All the recruited patients underwent serial ECGs, blood for cardiac markers, and a comprehensive 2D echocardiogram within 24 hours of admission. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used for data collection and all the data was analyzed by statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) 23 software.Results: The majority of affected patients were males (71.2%). More than half of the participants had very severe stenosis of LAD (52.1%), one-fifth of them had severe stenosis (22.9%), and about one-third were suffering from triple vessel disease (TVD: 32.69%) according to the angiogram. Characteristically, 83% of diagnosed patients with Wellens syndrome had not complained of any pain during their diagnostic ECG tracing and the majority had normal cardiac troponin levels (82.7%) at the presentation.Conclusions: Even though the ECG findings of Wellens syndrome are highly specific (89%), due to either normal or slightly elevated levels of cardiac markers and the pain-free status of the patients at the presentation often mislead the physicians. Late diagnosis may result in extensive myocardial damage and even death. Therefore, early identification and intervention is vital.

Trends in Cerebral Venous Thrombosis: Incidence, Clinical, and Angiographic Features

Trends in Cerebral Venous Thrombosis: Incidence, Clinical, and Angiographic Features

Clinical prediction factors of nonchronic total occlusion lesion progression in patients with unstable angina receiving percutaneous coronary intervention for chronic total occlusion lesions

BackgroundIn this study, we investigated clinical prediction factors of nonchronic total occlusion lesion (NCTOL) progression in patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for chronic total occlusion (CTO) lesions. MethodsIn total, 450 patients with unstable angina (mean age = 57.1 ± 9.2 years) who underwent PCI for CTO lesions between January 2016 and December 2018 at Beijing Anzhen Hospital were enrolled in this study. A clinical and angiographic follow-up examination was performed 12 months postoperatively. The patients were divided into NCTOL progression (145 cases) and control (305 cases) groups based on the outcome of the 12-month angiographic follow-up. The clinical and angiographic features of the participants were analyzed. ResultsThe adenosine diphosphate-induced platelet aggregation (ADP-IPA) rate and levels of lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) in the NCTOL progression group were significantly higher than those in the control group (51.89 ± 14.81 vs. 39.63 ± 17.12, P < 0.01; 0.22 ± 0.26 vs. 0.14 ± 0.18, P < 0.05, respectively). Logistic regression showed that the ADP-IPA rate (odds ratio = 1.047, 95 % confidence interval: 1.014–1.082, P = 0.005) and Lp(a) (odds ratio = 11.972, 95 % confidence interval: 1.230–116.570, P = 0.033) were independent predictors of NCTOL progression. Partial correlation analysis demonstrated that the ADP-IPA rate was positively correlated with NCTOL progression (r = 0. 351, P < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic curve showed that the boundary point of the ADP-IPA rate to predict NCTOL progression was 30 % (sensitivity, 86.2 %; specificity, 68.9 %). ConclusionsNCTOL progression is an important cause of recurrent PCI in patients with coronary artery disease after PCI for CTO lesions. The ADP-IPA rate is a useful predictor for NCTOL progression in patients with unstable angina who undergo PCI for CTO lesions.

Acute Myocardial Infarction in Women, a Study on Risk Factors, Angiographic Features and Outcomes.

Women with acute coronary syndrome are more likely to have cardiovascular disease risk factors and atypical symptoms as compared to men. In Nepal, there is a rising trend of Coronary Artery Disease and myocardial infarction in women. However, research on acute myocardial infarction in women is lacking. The aim of this study was to study the cardiac risk factors, clinical features, angiographic features, and outcome of acute myocardial infarction in Nepalese women admitted to Hospital. This was a cross sectional study done at Shahid Gangalal National Heart Center Kathmandu from September 2016 to March 2017. Female patients admitted with a diagnosis of acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction or non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction, who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were included in the study. The details of the patients, demographic profile, major clinical symptoms, major coronary artery disease risk factors, angiographic features and outcomes were recorded and assessed during the study period. Coronary angiography was done in 112 patients out of 178 patients. Out of 178 patients, 85.95 % had ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and 14.05% had non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction. The mean patient age was 62.53 ± 12.1. 26.4% patients were of age less than 55 years. Major risk factors were central obesity (94.61%), dyslipidemia due to low HDL (78.65%). hypertension (54.49%), smoking (54.49%) and type 2 diabetes (34.83%). The most common atypical symptoms were shortness of breath (35.39 %,) , nausea and vomiting (23. 6%) and epigastric pain (6.74%), Single vessel disease was found in 36%; double vessel disease in 26.3% and triple vessel disease in 28.9% of patients. The primary outcome of in- hospital mortality was 3.37 %. Our study showed that significant number of females had Coronary Artery Disease at early age. Among women with myocardial infarction in Nepal, obesity due to high waist to hip ratio was the most common risk factor followed by dyslipidemia due to low high density lipoproteins, smoking, hypertension, and diabetes. Atypical symptoms were also common findings. Single vessel disease was the most common lesion and left anterior descending artery was the most commonly involved vessel. Mortality was seen in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients only.

The impact of the bifurcation angle for the Nano-Crush two-stent coronary bifurcation technique on long-term outcomes in a real-world clinical population

AimThis study aims to assess the direct impact of bifurcation angle (BA) on immediate procedural outcomes and patient prognosis post-Nano-Crush stenting for coronary bifurcation lesions. MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted for all consecutive patients treated with the Nano-Crush technique across two high-volume interventional centers from January 2020 to October 2022. Primary endpoint: comparison of target lesion failure rate in two cohorts based on bifurcation angle (<70° vs. ≥70°), with secondary endpoints including side branch ostium coverage, rate of successful final kissing balloon inflation (FKBI), need for conversion to another technique, and procedure length. ResultsBaseline demographics included 71 patients in the BA<70° group and 49 in the BA≥70° group, with well-balanced characteristics. Angiographic characteristics revealed similar trends, including anatomic and morphological lesion characteristics (referencing Syntax score, Medina classification, and presence of calcifications). Both groups predominantly had complex coronary disease, with a baseline mean Syntax score of 24.18 ± 8.19 in the BA<70° group and 23.91 ± 7.29 in the BA≥70° group, respectively. A dedicated debulking device for lesion preparation was used in 25.35 % of patients in the first group and in 28.57 % of patients in the second group.The primary endpoint occurred in 5.63 % of patients in the BA<70° group and in 4.08 % of patients in the BA≥70° group (P = 0.7014) after ≥ 2 years of clinical follow-up. Angiographic success was achieved in 100 % of both groups, with procedural time averaging 74.99 ± 25.55 min in the BA≥70° and 76.94 ± 27.81 min in the BA<70° (P = 0.6922). The rate of successful final kissing balloon inflation was 98.59 % in the BA<70° group and 95.91 % in the BA≥70° group (P = 0.3566). The mean contrast volume was 189.54 ± 73.74 ml in BA<70° and 168.9 ± 62.77 ml in BA≥70° (P = 0.1126). Clinical follow-ups at 30 days and 2 years revealed similar outcomes and complications for each group, as summarized in Table 3. ConclusionsOur results demonstrate that the bifurcation angle does not significantly impact long-term clinical outcomes or procedural parameters, such as side branch ostium coverage, conversion to a modified DK Crush technique, FKBI success rate, and procedure length. These findings suggest that the Nano-Crush technique can be a viable option for bifurcation lesions, irrespective of the bifurcation angle, achieving optimal side branch ostium coverage while preventing excessive protrusion into the main vessel.

A biomarker for estimating no-reflow phenomenon in PCI-treated non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients: serum Cystatin C

Aims: Cystatin C (Cys-C) is a biochemical marker associated not only with renal function but also with inflammatory processes. We aimed to investigate the relationship between the post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) no-reflow phenomenon (NRP) and Cys-C in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NST-ACS).&#x0D; Methods: This retrospective, single-center observational study consecutively enrolled patients who were hospitalized with a diagnosis of NST-ACS and underwent PCI between October 2021 and February 2022. Baseline characteristics, medications, admission laboratory parameters, and angiographic features were recorded. Logistic regression and sensitivity analyses were performed to identify parameters associated with NRP.&#x0D; Results: Out of 199 patients (mean age: 62.0±10.3, 59.8% male), 36 (18.1%) developed NRP. Patients who developed NRP had a lower ejection fraction (49.7±10.3% vs. 53.5±7.1%, p=0.046) and were less likely to be male (36.1% vs. 65.0%, p=0.001). Additionally, individuals with NRP exhibited higher blood urea and C-reactive protein levels than those without NRP (p1.1 mg/L for Cys-C determined NRP with 72.2% sensitivity and 66.9% specificity (area under the curve=0.711, p

Implementation of an Early Discharge Protocol in Patients with ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Evaluation of a local early discharge protocol to identify low-risk patients after primary angioplasty. A local protocol was applied to all patients admitted to Las Higueras Hospital after primary angioplasty in the context of STEMI from the Health Service of Talcahuano (Those belonging to other Health Services were excluded). Those who met the established criteria were discharged < 48 hours. Clinical variables, comorbidities, angiographic characteristics, and the procedure, as well as intraoperative complications, mortality, and hospital readmission up to 6 months, were analyzed. A total of 51 patients were identified, with a mean age of 59.5 years and 25% female. The mean ischemia time was 5.5 hours with a risk profile that showed a mean GRACE score of 106 and a Zwolle risk score of 1.7. The mean length of stay was 1.7 days (40.8 h). There was only 1 readmission and no mortality events were registered up to 6 months of follow-up. The application of a protocol for early discharge after primary angioplasty allowed for shorter hospital stays without compromising patient safety in the medium term.

Predictors of successful primary antegrade wiring in chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention.

Antegrade wiring is the most commonly used chronic total occlusion (CTO) crossing technique. Using data from the PROGRESS CTO registry (Prospective Global Registry for the Study of Chronic Total Occlusion Intervention; Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT02061436), we examined the clinical and angiographic characteristics and procedural outcomes of CTO percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) performed using a primary antegrade wiring strategy. Of the 13 563 CTO PCIs performed at 46 centers between 2012 and 2023, a primary antegrade wiring strategy was used in 11 332 (83.6%). Upon multivariable logistic regression analysis, proximal cap ambiguity (odds ratio [OR]: 0.52; 95% CI, 0.46-0.59), side branch at the proximal cap (OR: 0.85; 95% CI, 0.77-0.95), blunt/no stump (OR: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.47-0.59), increasing lesion length (OR [per 10 mm increase]: 0.79; 95% CI, 0.76-0.81), moderate to severe calcification (OR: 0.73; 95% CI, 0.66-0.81), moderate to severe proximal tortuosity (OR: 0.67; 95% CI, 0.59-0.75), bifurcation at the distal cap (OR: 0.66; 95% CI, 0.59-0.73), left anterior descending artery CTO (OR [vs right coronary artery]: 1.44; 95% CI, 1.28-1.62) and left circumflex CTO (OR [vs right coronary artery]: 1.22; 95% CI, 1.07-1.40), non-in-stent restenosis lesion (OR: 0.56; 95% CI, 0.49-0.65), and good distal landing zone (OR: 1.18; 95% CI, 1.06-1.32) were independently associated with primary antegrade wiring crossing success. The use of antegrade wiring as the initial strategy was high (83.6%) in our registry. We identified several parameters associated with primary antegrade wiring success.

Comparison of long-term outcomes of double kissing crush versus T and minimal protrusion techniques in complex bifurcation lesions: The EVOLUTE-CRUSH II registry.

Double kissing (DK)-crush and T-stenting and small protrusion (TAP) techniques are gaining popularity, but the comparison for both techniques is still lacking. This study sought to retrospectively evaluate the long-term outcomes of DK-crush and TAP techniques in patients with complex bifurcation lesions. A total of 255 (male: 205 [80.3%], mean age: 59.56 ± 10.13 years) patients who underwent coronary bifurcation intervention at a single-center between January 2014 and May 2021 were included. Angiographic features, procedure details, and in-hospital or long-term outcomes were assessed. The primary endpoint was target lesion failure (TLF), defined as the combination of cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction, or clinically driven-target lesion revascularization (TLR). The regression models were adjusted applying by the inverse probability weighted (IPW) approach to reduce treatment selection bias. The initial management strategy was DK-crush in 152 (59.6%) patients and TAP in 103 (40.4%) cases. The SYNTAX scores (24.58 ± 7.4 vs. 24.26 ± 6.39, p = 0.846) were similar in both groups. The number of balloon (6.32 ± 1.82 vs. 3.92 ± 1.19, p < 0.001) usage was significantly higher in the DK-crush group than in the TAP group. The rates of TLF (11.8 vs. 22.3%, p = 0.025) and clinically driven TLR (6.6 vs. 15.5%, p = 0.020) were significantly lower in the DK-crush group compared to the TAP group. The long-term TLF was significantly higher in the TAP group compared to the DK-crush group (unadjusted HR: 1.974, [95% CI: 1.044-3.732], p = 0.035 and adjusted HR [IPW]: 2.498 [95% CI: 1.232-5.061], p = 0.011). The present study showed that the DK-crush technique of bifurcation treatment was associated with lower long-term TLF and TLR rates compared to the TAP technique.

Use of the Indigo CAT RX aspiration system during percutaneous coronary intervention.

The use of the Indigo CAT RX Aspiration System (Penumbra Inc.) during percutaneous coronary intervention has received limited study. We retrospectively examined the clinical, angiographic, and procedural characteristics, outcomes, and follow-up of patients who underwent mechanical aspiration thrombectomy with the Indigo CAT RX system (Penumbra Inc.) at a large tertiary care hospital between January 2019 and April 2023. During the study period, 83 patients (85 lesions) underwent thrombectomy with the Indigo CAT RX. Mean patient age was 64.9 ± 14.48 years and 31.2% were women. The most common presentations were ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (MI) (66.2%) and non-ST-segment elevation MI (26.5%). A final thrombolysis in MI flow grade of 3 and final myocardial blush grade of 3 were achieved in 76% and 46% of the cases, respectively. Technical success was achieved in 88.9% of the cases that included Indigo CAT RX treatment only, compared with 57.1% of the cases that also included manual aspiration. There were no device-related serious adverse events. At 30-day postprocedure, the incidence of major adverse cardiac events (composite of cardiovascular death, recurrent MI, cardiogenic shock, new or worsening New York Heart Association Class IV heart failure, stroke) was 8.5%: 1.3% stroke (postprocedure, in-hospital), 1.3% MI, 6.1% cardiac death, and 7.5% developed cardiogenic shock. Use of the Indigo CAT RX system is associated with high technical success and acceptable risk of complications, including stroke.

Angiographic characteristics of coronary artery disease in patients undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography at a tertiary hospital in Tanzania

BackgroundCoronary artery disease (CAD) is an important cause of global burden of disease. There is a paucity of data on the burden and risk factors for CAD in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), despite the rising trends in the shared risk factors across regions. The recent introduction of cardiac catheterization laboratory services in SSA could shed light on the burden of CAD in the region. We aimed to assess the angiographic characteristics among patients undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography (CAG) at a single tertiary care hospital in Tanzania.MethodsThis study was a retrospective chart review. A total of 728 patients ≥ 18 years of age who underwent CAG from January 2020 to December 2022 were recruited into the study. Basic demographic variables, risk factors and clinical characteristics including CAG findings were obtained from the registry. In addition, CAG images were retrieved for assessment of angiographic features. The luminal vessel stenosis was assessed based on eyeballing and the degree of obstruction was agreed by two independent and experienced cardiologists. The coronary stenosis of ≥ 50% was considered significant for obstructive CAD. The study was approved by the local ethics committee.ResultsOf patients who were recruited into the study, 384 (52.23%) were female. The study participants had a mean age of 59.46 ± 10.83 standard deviation (SD) and mean body mass index (BMI) of 31.18 kg/m2. The prevalence of CAD of any degree was estimated at 24.43% (34.18% in male, 15.50% in female), while that of obstructive CAD was 18.27%. Forty six percent of those with obstructive CAD had multiple vessel disease (MVD). Nearly 77% of patients were found to have ≥ 50–70% luminal stenosis and while those with ≥ 70% luminal coronary artery stenosis constituted 56.65%. Right coronary artery (RCA) was the most commonly affected vessel, accounting for 36.84% when any vessel disease or 56% when single vessel disease were considered. Being 65 years or older and comorbidity with type 2 diabetes (T2D) were independent risk factors for developing CAD.ConclusionThere is a high prevalence of obstructive CAD among patients undergoing diagnostic CAG in Tanzania, with male gender preponderance and increasingly higher in older age, often with severe disease. A large, prospective study is needed to provide epidemiological and clinical data for developing a locally-relevant cardio-preventive strategy for CAD intervention in Tanzania.

The active pulling technique to solve microcatheter-uncrossable lesions in retrograde chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention

Background: It is not uncommon to encounter retrograde microcatheter-uncrossable lesions in retro-recanalization of Chronic Total Occlusion (CTO) cases, existing solutions were time-consuming or complicated to operate. Therefore, the present study aimed to propose and evaluate the feasibility, safety of a novel technique termed Active Pulling retrograde microcatheter crossing Technique (APT) during retrograde CTO percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods: We retrospectively collected retrograde CTO-PCI cases from February 2017 to April 2023, only cases with the retrograde wire successfully crossed the CTO lesion were analyzed. The baseline clinical characteristics, angiographic characteristics, procedural details, and in-hospital major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) were compared. Results: A total of 80 CTO cases were divided into the APT group and the non-APT group according to whether the APT was applied in the procedure. The APT group had a higher rate of device success than the non-APT group (100% vs. 85%, P = 0.013), with shorter duration (5.3 ± 3.8 vs. 18.6 ± 5.9 min, P < 0.001) and a smaller number of retrograde microcatheters were used (P < 0.001). In the APT group, the average air kerma radiation exposure was lower (2.7 ± 1.2 vs. 4.3 ± 1.7 Gy, P < 0.001), the fluoroscopy time (69.0 ± 15.0 vs. 88.1 ± 18.9 min, P < 0.001) and the procedure time (116.2 ± 22.2 vs. 131.6 ± 28.7 min, P = 0.009) was shorter than the non-APT group. The technical success rate of both groups reached 100% while the procedure success rate was higher in the APT group than the non-APT group (100% vs. 85%, P = 0.13). Conclusions: The APT is an easy and safe technique that can greatly improve procedural efficiency without adding other instruments, and allows the retrograde microcatheter to quickly crossing the CTO body after successful retrograde wire externalization.

Equipment entrapment/loss during chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention.

There is limited data on equipment loss or entrapment during chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We analyzed the baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics and outcomes of equipment loss/entrapment at 43 US and non-US centers between 2017 and 2023. Equipment loss/entrapment was reported in 40 (0.4%) of 10 719 cases during the study period. These included guidewire entrapment/fracture (n = 21), microcatheter entrapment/fracture (n = 11), stent loss (n = 8) and balloon entrapment/fracture/rupture (n = 5). The equipment loss/entrapment cases were more likely to have moderate to severe calcification, longer lesion length, higher J-CTO and PROGRESS-CTO complications scores, and use of the retrograde approach compared with the remaining cases. Retrieval was attempted in 71.4% of the guidewire, 90.9% of the microcatheter, 100% of the stent loss, and 100% of the balloon cases, and was successful in 26.7%, 30.0%, 50%, and 40% of the cases, respectively. Procedures complicated by equipment loss/entrapment had higher procedure and fluoroscopy time, contrast volume and patient air kerma radiation dose, lower procedural (60.0% vs 85.6%, P less than .001) and technical (75.0% vs 86.8%, P = .05) success, and higher incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) (17.5% vs 1.8%, P less than .001), acute MI (7.5% vs 0.4%, P less than .001), emergency coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) (2.5% vs 0.1%, P = .03), perforation (20.0% vs 4.9%, P less than .001), and death (7.5% vs 0.4%, P less than .001). Equipment loss is a rare complication of CTO PCI; it is more common in complex CTOs and is associated with lower technical success and higher MACE.

Incidence and Risk Factors of Iliac Artery Rupture during Aortoiliac Stenting.

Aortoiliac occlusive disease (AIOD) is widely prevalent and leads to severe claudication or chronic limb-threatening ischemia. Stent placement for AIOD demonstrated excellent outcomes in terms of long-term patency. However, iliac artery rupture is the most fearful complication during the aortoiliac stenting (AIS). This study aimed to evaluate the incidence and risk factors of iliac artery rupture during AIS. A retrospective review of consecutive patients with AIOD treated with AIS from 2009 to 2021 was completed. We excluded patients with instent restenosis. All types of stents, including self-expanding stent (SES), balloon-expandable stent (BES), or balloon-expandable covered stent (CS), were used. Angiographic characteristics and procedural outcomes were analyzed. Procedural success was defined as the residual stenosis <30%. A total of 242 patients (86.8% male; mean age 68.8±10.0 years) with de novo AIOD were treated with AIS. The procedural success rate was 100%. Rupture occurred in six patients (2.5%) and all ruptures were occurred in the external iliac artery (EIA). Stenting of the EIA and less calcified lesion were risk factors for iliac rupture (P=0.028). All cases of iliac artery rupture were successfully treated with the CSs. Overall primary patency rates were 98.0% and 93.4% at 12 and 36 months, respectively. Primary patency rates of SES, BES, and CS were 87.7%, 88.4%, and 100% at 36 months, respectively. The incidence of iliac artery rupture during AIS was 2.5%. Stent placement in the less calcified lesion and EIA was a risk factor for rupture during AIS. Placement of the CS can be the straightforward solution in case of iliac artery rupture during AIS.

Angiographic characteristics of patients with STEMI and COVID-19: Insights from NACMI registry

BackgroundTo date, there has been no independent core lab angiographic analysis of patients with COVID-19 and STEMI. The study characterized the angiographic parameters of patients with COVID-19 and STEMI. MethodsAngiograms of patients with COVID-19 and STEMI from the North American COVID-19 Myocardial Infarction (NACMI) Registry were sent to a Core Laboratory in Vancouver, Canada. Culprit lesion(s), Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow, Thrombus Grade Burden (TGB), and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) outcome were assessed. ResultsFrom 234 patients, 74% had one culprit lesion, 14% had multiple culprits and 12% had no culprit identified. Multivessel thrombotic disease and multivessel CAD were found in 27% and 53% of patients, respectively. Stent thrombosis accounted for 12% of the presentations and occurred in 55% of patients with previous coronary stents. Of the 182 who underwent PCI, 60 (33%) had unsuccessful PCI due to post-PCI TIMI flow <3 (43/60), residual high thrombus burden (41/60) and/or thrombus related complications (27/60). In-hospital mortality for successful, partially successful, and unsuccessful PCI was 14%, 13%, and 27%, respectively. Unsuccessful PCI was associated with increased risk of in-hospital mortality (risk ratio [RR] 1.96; 95% CI: 1.05-3.66, P = .03); in the adjusted model this estimate was attenuated (RR: 1.24; 95% CI: 0.65-2.34, P = .51). ConclusionIn patients with COVID-19 and STEMI, thrombus burden was pervasive with notable rates of multivessel thrombotic disease and stent thrombosis. Post-PCI, persistent thrombus and sub-optimal TIMI 3 flow rates led to one-third of the PCI's being unsuccessful, which decreased over time but remained an important predictor of in-hospital mortality.

Isolated sinus dural arteriovenous fistulas: a single-center experience in 44 patients.

Isolated sinus dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) constitute a rare and distinctive subtype of DAVF, typically found in small case numbers or case reports. The optimal treatment for this DAVF type remains unclear. This study aims to further detail the treatment outcomes of isolated sinus DAVFs in a sizable cohort from a single center. A retrospective study was undertaken on a consecutive series of patients with isolated sinus DAVFs treated at a single institution from 2002 to 2022. The article delineates the clinical presentation, angiographic features, treatment strategy, clinical and angiographic outcomes, and complications. The cohort consisted of 31 males and 13 females, with an average age of 52.0 ± 15.5years (range, 16-83). The success rate for trans-arterial embolization (TAE) was 97.3% (36/37). Transvenous embolization (TVE) with the reopening technique was successful in 3 of 4 patients (75.0%). Two open burr-hole TVE cases (66.7%, 2/3) and one surgery (100%) resulted in immediate complete closure of the fistula. Immediate complete occlusion was achieved in 93.2% (41/44) of cases. There was one major complication (2.3%, 1/44) and two fistulas recurred (9.5%, 2/21). The majority of isolated sinus DAVFs can be effectively treated with TAE using Onyx. TVE and surgery serve as alternative techniques when arterial access is deemed inappropriate or when complete occlusion cannot be attained with TAE. Complete embolization of isolated sinus DAVFs by TAE can typically be achieved without delay.