Incidence Of Procedural Complications Research Articles

Safety and efficacy of two-port thoracoscopic aortic valve replacement

BackgroundPure aortic valve disease is common and has been treated with sternotomy aortic valve replacement for decades. Minimally invasive cardiac surgery has been widely used in atrioventricular valve lesions, but totally thoracoscopic aortic valve replacement has rarely been reported.MethodThe profiles of 9 patients who were diagnosed with severe aortic valve diseases and treated with two-port thoracoscopic aortic valve replacement between February 2021 and February 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. The clinical data, including baseline characteristics, operative data, postoperative complications, and short-term outcomes, were reported.ResultsAll nine patients successfully underwent two-port thoracoscopic aortic valve replacement, with a cardiopulmonary bypass time of 137.56 ± 27.99 min and an aortic cross-clamp time of 95.33 ± 17.96 min. Seven (77.78%) patients underwent mechanical valve replacement, and two (22.22%) patients underwent bioprosthetic valve replacement. Two (22.22%) patients underwent a concomitant aortic root enlargement procedure. There were no intraoperative or postoperative deaths. The incidence of procedural complications was 0%, while the results of ventilation time, intensive care unit stay length, blood transfusion, chest tube drainage, and kidney function were satisfactory.ConclusionTwo-port thoracoscopic aortic valve replacement is a safe and effective surgical treatment option for carefully selected patients with pure aortic valve diseases.

Comparison of advanced generation cryoballoon ablation and ablation index-guided pulmonary vein isolation with non-pulmonary vein trigger induction test and additional ablation in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

An ablation index (AI)-guided pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) or 2nd generation cryoballoon (CB)-PVI has been shown to reduce the atrial fibrillation (AF) burden by 99% despite the absence of ablation of non-pulmonary vein (PV) triggers in patients with paroxysmal AF. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of PVI alone strategy using 2nd generation CB compared with AI-guided PVI with an additional induction test and subsequent AF trigger ablation. We investigated 223 patients with symptomatic paroxysmal AF who underwent an initial PVI between August 2018 and August 2020. The study patients were divided into 2 groups: CB-PVI without an induction test (CB-PVI alone group, n = 82) and AI-guided PVI with an induction test and subsequent additional ablation of non-PV triggers (AI-PVI plus group, n = 141). In the AI-PVI plus group, a total of 62 non-PV triggers were induced in 38 patients, and non-PV triggers in 22 patients were completely ablated. The procedure time and left atrium dwell time were significantly shorter in the CB-PVI alone group than AI-PVI plus group. There were no significant differences in the incidence of procedural complications between the 2 groups (P = 0.650). The AF free survival rate in the CB-PVI alone group and AI-PVI plus group was 80% vs. 80% at 24months (P = 0.969). An PVI alone strategy using advanced generation CB did not differ in the clinical outcomes compared with an AI-guided PVI strategy with an induction test and subsequent ablation of non-PV triggers in the patients with paroxysmal AF.

Assessment of sex-related differences and outcome in patients who underwent cryoballoon pulmonary vein isolation for atrial fibrillation: an observational cohort study

ObjectivesPulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is widely accepted as an effective and safe treatment for symptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF). However, data on sex-related differences and associations with clinical outcome and safety...

Patient Characteristics, Procedural Details, and Outcomes of Contemporary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Real-World Practice: Insights from Nationwide Thai PCI Registry.

Background Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) practice and outcomes vary substantially in different parts of the world. The contemporary data of PCI in Asia are limited and only available from developed Asian countries. Objectives To explore the pattern of practice and results of PCI procedures in Thailand as well as a temporal change of PCI practice over time compared with the registry from other countries. Methods Thai PCI Registry is a prospective nationwide registry that was an initiative of the Cardiac Intervention Association of Thailand (CIAT). All cardiac catheterization laboratories in Thailand were invited to participate during 2018-2019, and consecutive PCI patients were enrolled and followed up for 1 year. Patient baseline characteristics, procedural details, equipment and medication use, outcomes, and complications were recorded. Results Among the 39 hospitals participated, there were 22,741 patients included in this registry. Their mean age (standard deviation) was 64.2 (11.7) years and about 70% were males. The most common presentation was acute coronary syndrome (57%) with a high proportion of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (28%). Nearly two-thirds of patients had multivessel disease and significant left main stenosis was reported in 11%. The transradial approach was used in 44.2%. The procedural success rate was very high (95.2%) despite the high complexity of the lesions (56.9% type C lesion). The incidence of procedural complications was 5.3% and in-hospital mortality was 2.8%. Conclusion Thai PCI Registry provides further insights into the current practice and outcomes of PCI in Southeast Asia. The success rate was very high, and the complications were very low despite the high complexity of the treated lesions.

Long-Term Mortality After TAVI for Bicuspid vs. Tricuspid Aortic Stenosis: A Propensity-Matched Multicentre Cohort Study.

ObjectivesPatients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) stenosis were excluded from the pivotal trials of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). We compared the in-hospital and long-term outcomes between patients undergoing TAVI for bicuspid and tricuspid aortic valve (TAV) stenosis.MethodsWe performed a retrospective registry-based analysis on patients who underwent TAVI for BAV and TAV at five different centers between January 2009 and August 2017. The primary outcome was long-term all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes were in-hospital mortality, procedural complications, and valve performance.ResultsOf 1,451 consecutive patients who underwent TAVI, two propensity-matched cohorts consisting of 130 patients with BAV and 390 patients with TAV were analyzed. All-cause mortality was comparable in both groups up to 10 years following TAVI (HR 1.09, 95% CI: 0.77–1.51). Device success and in-hospital mortality were comparable between the groups (96 vs. 95%, p = 0.554 and 2.3 vs. 2.1%, p = 0.863, respectively). Incidence of procedural complications was similar in both groups, with a trend toward a higher rate of stroke in patients with BAV (5 vs. 2%, p = 0.078). Incidence of moderate or severe paravalvular leak (PVL) at discharge was comparable in both groups (2 vs. 2%, p = 0.846). Among patients with BAV, all-cause mortality was similar in self-expanding and balloon-expandable prostheses (HR 1.02, 95% CI: 0.52–1.99) and lower in new-generation devices compared to old-generation valves (HR 0.27, 95% CI 0.12–0.62).ConclusionPatients who had undergone TAVI for BAV had comparable mortality to patients with TAV up to 10 years after the procedure. The device success, in-hospital mortality, procedural complications, and PVL rate were comparable between the groups. The high rate of neurological complications (5%) in patients with BAV warrants further investigation.

Catheter Ablation for Ventricular Tachycardia in Ischaemic Versus Non-Ischaemic Cardiomyopathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

There are differences in substrate and ablation approaches for ventricular tachycardia (VT) in ischaemic (ICM) and non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy (NICM). To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing clinical and procedural characteristics/outcomes of VT ablation in ICM versus NICM. Electronic databases were searched for comparative studies reporting outcomes of VT ablation in patients with ICM and NICM. Primary outcomes were acute procedural success, VT recurrence and long-term mortality. Meta-analyses were performed using random-effects modelling. Thirty-one (31) studies (7,473 patients; 4,418 ICM and 3,055 NICM) were included. Patients with ICM were significantly older (67.0 vs 55.3 yrs), more commonly male (89% vs 79%), had lower left ventricular ejection fraction (29% vs 38%) were less likely to undergo epicardial access (11% vs 36%) and were more likely to require haemodynamic support during ablation (relative risk [RR] 1.30; 95% CI 1.01-1.69). Acute procedural success (i.e. non-inducibility of VT) was higher in the ICM cohort (RR 1.10, 95% CI 1.05-1.15). Recurrence of VT at follow-up was significantly lower in the ICM cohort (RR 0.77; 95% CI 0.70-0.84). Peri-procedural mortality, incidence of procedural complications and long-term mortality were not significantly different between the cohorts. NICM and ICM patients undergoing VT ablation are fundamentally different in their clinical characteristics, ablation approaches, acute procedural outcomes and likelihood of VA recurrence. VT ablation in NICM has a lower likelihood of procedural success with increased risk of VA recurrence, consistent with known challenging arrhythmia substrate.

Pancreatic islet transplantation in type 1 diabetes: 20-year experience from a single-centre cohort in Canada

Islet transplantation offers an effective treatment for selected people with type 1 diabetes and intractable hypoglycaemia. Long-term experience, however, remains limited. We report outcomes from a single-centre cohort up to 20 years after islet transplantation. This cohort study included patients older than 18 years with type 1 diabetes undergoing allogeneic islet transplantation between March 11, 1999, and Oct 1, 2019, at the University of Alberta Hospital (Edmonton, AB, Canada). Patients who underwent islet-after-kidney transplantation and islet transplantation alone or islet transplantation before whole-pancreas transplantation (follow-up was censored at the time of whole-pancreas transplantation) were included. Patient survival, graft survival (fasting plasma C-peptide >0·1 nmol/L), insulin independence, glycaemic control, and adverse events are reported. To identify factors associated with prolonged graft survival, recipients with sustained graft survival (≥90% of patient follow-up duration) were compared with those who had non-sustained graft survival (<90% of follow-up duration). Multivariate binary logistic regression analyses were done to determine predictors of sustained graft survival. Between March 11, 1999, and Oct 1, 2019, 255 patients underwent islet transplantation and were included in the analyses (149 [58%] were female and 218 [85%] were White). Over a median follow-up of 7·4 years (IQR 4·4-12·2), 230 (90%) patients survived. Median graft survival was 5·9 years (IQR 3·0-9·5), and graft failure occurred in 91 (36%) patients. 178 (70%) recipients had sustained graft survival, and 77 (30%) had non-sustained graft survival. At baseline, compared with patients with non-sustained graft survival, those with sustained graft survival had longer median type 1 diabetes duration (33·5 years [IQR 24·3-41·7] vs 26·2 years [17·0-35·5]; p=0·0003), median older age (49·4 years [43·5-56·1] vs 44·2 years [35·4-54·2]; p=0·0011), and lower median insulin requirements (0·53 units/kg per day [0·45-0·67] vs 0·59 units/kg per day [0·48-0·70]; p=0·032), but median HbA1c concentrations were similar (8·2% [7·5-9·0] vs 8·5% [7·8-9·2]; p=0·23). 201 (79%) recipients had insulin independence, with a Kaplan-Meier estimate of 61% (95% CI 54-67) at 1 year, 32% (25-39) at 5 years, 20% (14-27) at 10 years, 11% (6-18) at 15 years, and 8% (2-17) at 20 years. Patients with sustained graft survival had significantly higher rates of insulin independence (160 [90%] of 178 vs 41 [53%] of 77; p<0·0001) and sustained improvements in glycaemic control mixed-main-effects model group effect, p<0·0001) compared with those with non-sustained graft survival. Multivariate analyses identified the combined use of anakinra plus etanercept (adjusted odds ratio 7·5 [95% CI 2·7-21·0], p<0·0001) and the BETA-2 score of 15 or higher (4·1 [1·5-11·4], p=0·0066) as factors associated with sustained graft survival. In recipients with sustained graft survival, the incidence of procedural complications was lower (23 [5%] of 443 infusions vs 17 [10%] of 167 infusions; p=0·027), whereas the incidence of cancer was higher (29 of [16%] of 178 vs four [5%] of 77; p=0·015) than in those with non-sustained graft survival; most were skin cancers (22 [67%] of 33). End-stage renal disease and severe infections were similar between groups. We present the largest single-centre cohort study of long-term outcomes following islet transplantation. Although some limitations with our study remain, such as the retrospective component, a relatively small sample size, and the absence of non-transplant controls, we found that the combined use of anakinra plus etanercept and the BETA-2 score were associated with improved outcomes, and therefore these factors could inform clinical practice. None.

Safety of catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation in patients with mechanical prosthetic valves.

Catheter ablation (CA) for atrial fibrillation (AF) is increasingly utilized in recent years, with promising results. We aimed to investigate the nationwide trends in utilization and procedural complications of CA for AF in patients with mechanical prosthetic valves (MPVs). We drew data from the US National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database to identify cases of AF ablations in patients with MPVs, between 2003 and 2015. Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected, and incidence of procedural complications, mortality, and length of stay were analyzed. We compared the outcomes to a propensity-matched cohort of patients without MPVs. The study included a weighted total of 1898 CA for AF cases in patients with MPVs. The median age of the study population was 67 (61-75) years and 53% were males. Despite the increasing age and significant uptrend in the prevalence of individual comorbidities and Deyo-Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) over the years, the risk of peri-procedural complications and mortality in the study group did not change between the early (2003-2008) and late (2009-2015) study years. The peri-procedural complication rate (8.4% vs. 10.4%, p = .33) and in-hospital mortality (0.2% vs. 0.2%, p = .9) did not differ significantly between patients with MPVs and 1901 matched patients without MPVs. Length of stay was higher among patients with prior MPVs compared to the controls (4.0 ± 0.2 vs. 3.3 ± 0.2 days, p = .011). This nationwide analysis shows that AF ablation in patients with mechanical valve prothesis bares a similar risk of periprocedural complications and mortality as in patients without prosthetic valves.

Ethanol ablation for ventricular arrhythmias: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Ethanol ablation (EA) is an alternative option for subjects with ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) refractory to conventional medical and ablative treatment. However, data on the efficacy and safety of EA remain sparse. A systematic literature search was conducted. The primary outcomes were 1) freedom from the targeted VA and 2) freedom from any VAs post-EA. Additional safety outcomes were also analyzed. Ten studies were selected accounting for a population of 174 patients (62.3 ± 12.5 years, 94% male) undergoing 185 procedures. The overall acute success rate of EA was 72.4% (confidence interval [CI95% ]: 65.6-78.4). After a mean follow-up of 11.3 ± 5.5 months, the incidence of relapse of the targeted VA was 24.4% (CI95% : 17.1-32.8), while any VAs post-EA occurred in 41.3% (CI95% : 33.7-49.1). The overall incidence of procedural complications was 14.1% (CI95% : 9.8-19.8), with pericardial complications and complete atrioventricular block being the most frequent. An anterograde transarterial approach was associated with a higher rate of VA recurrences and complications compared to a retrograde transvenous route; however, differences in the baseline population characteristics and in the targeted ventricular areas should be accounted. EA is a valuable therapeutic option for VAs refractory to conventional treatment and can result in 1-year freedom from VA recurrence in 60%-75% of the patients. However, anatomical or technical challenges preclude acute success in almost 30% of the candidates and the rate of complication is not insignificant, highlighting the importance of well-informed patient selection. The certainty of the evidence is low, and further research is necessary.

The association of myocardial injury during chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention with lesion complexity and treatment strategy

Abstract Background Chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is associated with procedural myocardial injury (PMI), and adverse long-term clinical outcomes [1–4].CTO lesion complexity is quantified using established scores [5–8], with high complexity known to determine the need for dissection and re-entry techniques and the retrograde approach, which are then associated with a higher incidence of procedural complications [9,10]. If CTO recanalization is unsuccessful, a modification procedure can be performed, with the intention to improve subsequent procedural success [11–14]. There are limited data on the association between PMI, CTO complexity and treatment strategy. Purpose To report the incidence of myocardial injury following CTO PCI, and assess whether this is associated with lesion complexity, crossing strategy, or the use of a modification procedure. Methods This is a retrospective analysis of consecutive elective CTO PCI procedures performed at a single centre in Norway between January 2020 and March 2021. High-sensitivity troponin T (hsTnT) was measured pre and 12–18 hours post-procedure. Myocardial injury defined as a post-procedure elevation of hsTnT &amp;gt;5x 99th percentile URL with a normal baseline value or a rise &amp;gt;20% with elevated pre-procedure hsTnT. CTO complexity was described using the J-CTO, PROGRESS, RECHARGE and EuroCASTLE scores [5–8]. Procedures were classified as technical successful or unsuccessful according to CTO academic research consortium (CTO-ARC)criteria [15], and further categorised according to final crossing strategy [antegrade wiring (AW), antegrade dissection re-entry (ADR), retrograde wiring (RW) or retrograde dissection re-entry (RDR)]. If unsuccessful they were further categorised as “failure” or “unplanned modification procedure”. A “planned modification procedure” defined as intentional antegrade modification of the occlusive segment with no attempt to complete CTO crossing. Results We analysed 122 CTO PCI procedures. Mean J-CTO, PROGRESS, RECHARGE, EuroCASTLE scores were 2.7, 1.2, 3.0 and 3.1 respectively. Technical success during the index procedure was 75%. An unplanned or planned modification procedure was performed in 16% and 2% of cases, respectively. Technical failure occurred in 7% of cases. Myocardial injury occurred in 65% of all procedures (78% of failed procedures, 64% of successful procedures, 63% of unplanned and none of 3 planned CTO modification procedures). The mean hs-TnT according to treatment strategy and outcomes are reported in Table 1. The relationship between the CTO complexity scores and hs-TnT are illustrated in Figure 1. Conclusions Myocardial injury is common during CTO PCI, particularly with more complex anatomy, requiring the retrograde approach or an unplanned modification procedure. A prospective analysis of whether myocardial injury can be avoided using a planned investment procedure in high complexity cases is currently being conducted. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

Outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement in older patients.

BackgroundThe prevalence of aortic valve stenosis is increasing due to the continuously growing geriatric population. Data on procedural success and mortality of very old patients are sparse, raising the question of when this population may be deemed as “too old even for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).” We, therefore, sought to evaluate the influence of age on outcome after TAVR and the impact of direct implantation.MethodsThe data of 394 consecutive patients undergoing TF-TAVR were analyzed. Patients were divided into four age groups: ≤75 (group 1, n = 28), 76–80 (group 2, n = 107), 81–85 (group 3, n = 148), and >85 (group 4, n = 111) years. Direct implantation was performed when possible according to current recommendations. Survival was evaluated by Kaplan–Meier analysis.ResultsMortality at 30 days and 1 year was not significantly different between the four age groups (3.6 vs. 6.7 vs. 5.4 vs. 2.7% and 7.6 vs. 17 vs. 14.5 vs. 13%m respectively, log-rank p = 0.59). Direct implantation without balloon aortic valvuloplasty was more frequently performed on patients aged >85 vs. ≤85 years (33.3 vs. 14.1%, p < 0.001). the incidence of procedural complications frequently associated with advanced age (stroke, vascular complications) was not significantly increased in group 4.ConclusionOutcome after TF-TAVR is comparable among different age cohorts, even in very old patients. Direct implantation simplifies the procedure and could therefore play a role in reducing the incidence of peri-interventional complications in patients of advanced age.

1255Comprehensive analysis of pacemaker patients with and without abandoned leads undergoing transvenous lead extraction: A GALLERY subgroup analysis

Abstract OnBehalf GALLERY investigators Background The number of cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED)-associated complications such as infection, lead dysfunction or thrombotic events is continuously rising and thus making transvenous lead extraction (TLE) an ever more needed procedure in clinical practice today. Patients with abandoned leads represent a special cohort with a potentially higher susceptibility to CIED-related infections and vascular complications. Moreover, according to literature abandoned leads seem to be associated with more procedural complications and mortality during TLE. Aim The aim of this study was to provide an insight on safety, procedural outcome and risk prediction on pacemaker patients with abandoned leads undergoing TLE from the largest national laser-sheath registry to date. Methods + Results: We conducted a retrospective analysis of the GALLERY database, which collected 2533 patients undergoing TLE in Germany between 2013 and 2017. Out of 903 pacemaker patients, who underwent TLE, 226 patients (25.0%) with abandoned leads were identified. Those patients had a higher number of leads per patient (3.2 ± 0.8 vs. 1.9 ± 0.3; ns) and longer lead dwell-times (168.0 ± 89.7 vs. 123.0 ± 69.2 months; p &amp;lt; 0.0001) compared to pacemaker patients without abandoned leads. There were no differences in age (71.5 vs. 72.3 years; ns), body mass index (26.5 ± 4.5 vs. 26.78 ± 4.8 kg/m2; ns) or gender distribution (69.0 vs. 66.5% male; ns). Leading indication for TLE was device infection with no difference between groups (79.7 vs 77.8 %; ns). There were no differences in terms of pacemaker dependency, length of hospitalization or comorbidities. Patients with abandoned leads had longer procedure times (112.0 ± 69.0 vs. 86.4 ± 53.0 minutes; p &amp;lt; 0.0001) and a higher incidence of procedural complications (6.6 vs. 3.1%; p = 0.03), but there were no differences in neither procedural and clinical success rates (96.5 vs. 97.3%; ns), nor all-cause mortality (1.33 vs. 2.66%; ns). Multivariate logistic regression revealed abandoned leads (OR 2.1, CI 1.0-4.4, p = 0.04) and female gender (OR 2.4, CI 1.2-4.9, p = 0.02) as independent predictors for procedural complications. Systemic infection (OR 5.4, CI 2.0-14.8, p = 0.001) and chronic kidney disease (OR 4.0, CI 1.5-10.7, p = 0.007) were strong predictors for all-cause mortality in patients with indwelling pacemaker. Patient age &amp;gt; 75 years (OR 3.9, CI 2.7-5.6, p &amp;lt; 0.0001) and a lead dwell-time &amp;gt; 10 years (OR 1.6, CI 1.1-2.2, p = 0.01) were identified as risk factors for an infectious cause for TLE. Conclusion Abandoned leads are frequently encountered in pacemaker patients undergoing TLE and pose an important risk factor for procedural complications. Systemic CIED-related infections are the strongest driver of mortality in this patient cohort and urgently call for further improvements in early diagnosis and prevention.

Excimer laser coronary atherectomy prior to paclitaxel-coated balloon angioplasty for de novo coronary artery lesions

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of excimer laser coronary atherectomy (ELCA) prior to paclitaxel-coated balloon angioplasty for de novo coronary artery lesions. This retrospective observational study analyzed 118 eligible patients with de novo coronary artery disease whose only percutaneous coronary intervention was a drug-coated balloon angioplasty (i.e., no subsequent stent placement). Data related to our primary outcomes of interest—incidence of major adverse cardiovascular and cerebral events (MACCE), and incidence of procedural complications (bailout stenting and minor complications)—were collected and retrospectively analyzed. ELCA was used significantly more often in the cases of main branch and ostial lesions (i.e., of the circumflex, right coronary, or left anterior descending arteries, or high lateral branch), normally associated with poor treatment outcomes (55.6% vs. 14.3%, p < 0.0005). However, the two groups were not different in terms of cumulative incidence as estimated by the Kaplan–Meier method (log-rank test, p = 0.603) and a causal relationship between ELCA and MACCE was not identified (OR, 2.223; 95% CI, 0.614–8.047; p = 0.223). This study confirms the safety of ELCA prior to paclitaxel DCB angioplasty to treat de novo coronary artery lesions. While difficult-to-treat lesions were significantly more prevalent in the group treated by ELCA, the study revealed similar efficiency as conventional pre-dilation methods. Our findings provide grounds for a prospective randomized trial with consistent lesion and procedural characteristics to evaluate the potential benefits of combining paclitaxel DCB angioplasty following ELCA for de novo coronary artery lesions.

Treating Morton's neuroma by injection, neurolysis, or neurectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of pain and satisfaction outcomes.

Individual evidence suggests that multiple modalities can be used to treat entrapment pathology by Morton's neuroma, including injection, neurolysis, and neurectomy. However, their impacts on patient pain and satisfaction have yet to be fully defined or elucidated. Correspondingly, our aim was to pool systematically identified metadata and substantiate the impact of these different modalities in treating Morton's neuroma with respect to these outcomes. Searches of 7 electronic databases from inception to October 2019 were conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Articles were screened against pre-specified criteria. The incidences of outcomes were extracted and pooled by random-effects meta-analysis of proportions. A total of 35 articles satisfied all criteria, reporting a total of 2998 patients with Morton's neuroma managed by one of the three modalities. Incidence of complete pain relief after injection (43%; 95% CI, 23-64%) was significantly lower than neurolysis (68%; 95% CI, 51-84%) and neurectomy (74%; 95% CI, 66-82%) (P = 0.02). Incidence of complete satisfaction after injection (35%; 95% CI, 21-50%) was significantly lower than neurolysis (63%; 95% CI, 50-74%) and neurectomy (57%; 95% CI, 47-67%) (P < 0.01). The need to proceed to further surgery was significantly greater following injection (15%; 95% CI, 9-23%) versus neurolysis (2%; 95% CI, 0-4%) or neurectomy (5%; 95% CI, 3-7%) (P < 0.01). Incidence of procedural complications did not differ between modalities (P = 0.30). Although all interventions demonstrated favorable procedural complication incidences, surgical interventions by either neurolysis or neurectomy appear to trend towards greater incidences of complete pain relief and complete patient satisfaction outcomes compared to injection treatment. The optimal decision-making algorithm for treatment for Morton's neuroma should incorporate these findings to better form and meet the expectations of patients.

Temporal changes in outcomes of women and men undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for chronic total occlusion: 2005-2013.

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for chronic total occlusion (CTO) has undergone impressive progress during the last decade, both in strategies and equipment. It is unknown whether technical refinement has translated into improved outcomes in women undergoing CTO-PCI. A total of 2002 consecutive patients (17% females, mean age 65.2 ± 10.7years) undergoing PCI of at least one CTO lesion at our center between 01/2005 and 12/2013 were evaluated. The incidence of adverse events was compared between two time series (2005-2009 and 2010-2013). A significant increase in adverse lesion characteristics over time was noted in both, women and men (p < 0.001), while technical success rates significantly increased in men but not in women (ptrend < 0.001 in men and ptrend=0.9 in women). The incidence of procedural complications was significantly higher in women as compared to men and increased over the study period in women (p < 0.05) but not in men. Accordingly, multivariate logistic regression analysis identified female sex as a strong predictor of PCI-related complications in recent years, while this was not the case in earlier years (adjusted HR 2.03, 95% CI 0.62-6.6, p = 0.2 and adjusted HR 4.7, 95% CI 1.8-12.3, p = 0.002, respectively, p < 0.001 for log LH ratio). In addition, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) after a 3-year follow-up significantly declined in men (log rank = 0.046), while no changes were observed in women. While higher success rates and a reduced rate of MACE have been achieved in men, the incidence of procedural complications in women undergoing CTO-PCI has increased over time.

Long-term outcomes of catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation post-cardiac valve replacement

ObjectiveThe long-term outcomes of catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) developing post-cardiac valve replacement (VR) remain undefined. Methods and resultsEighty-nine post-VR patients with AF (44% longstanding persistent AF, LSP-AF) were enrolled. Cumulative success rate of circumferential pulmonary vein ablation (CPVA for paroxysmal AF) and bidirectional block of lines and disappearance of complex fractionated atrial electrograms (CFAEs for persistent and LSP-AF) as index and repeat procedural endpoints reached 57% (mean, 1.3 procedures) during the first year, and dropped to 42% at median follow-up of 40months (range, 24–70months) for multiple procedures (mean, 1.6±0.9 [1–5]); incidence of procedural complications was similar to that of conventional procedures. In multivariate analysis, larger right atrium (RA, 9.40 [2.64–33.36]; P=0.001) and rheumatic valvular disease etiology (OR, 5.49 [95% CI, 1.26–23.96]; P=0.023) were significant independent predictors of recurrent atrial tachyarrhythmia (ATa); in contrast, long-term freedom from ATa was comparable between single and double valve replacement groups (42.1% vs. 43.7%, P=0.880), or mechanical and bioprosthetic valves groups (41.7% vs. 50.0%, P=0.620). ConclusionIn this single-center prospective study, treatment of post-VR AF with commonly used ablation strategies including CPVA and linear and CFAE ablation had limited long-term success, with ATa recurrence risk appearing higher in the setting of RA enlargement and rheumatic valvular disease and unrelated to valves characteristics.

Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting for severe stenosis of the intracranial extradural internal carotid artery causing transient ischemic attack or minor stroke.

The purpose of this study is to assess the technical feasibility and clinical efficacy of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting (PTAS) for symptomatic stenosis of the intracranial extradural (petrous and cavernous) internal carotid artery (ICA).Review of medical records identified 26 consecutive patients who underwent PTAS using a balloon-expandable coronary stent (n = 15, 57.7%) or a Wingspan self-expandable stent (n = 11, 42.3%) for treatment of severe stenosis (>70%) involving the intracranial extradural ICA. The inclusion criteria were transient ischemic attack with an ABCD(2) score of ≥3 (n = 12, 46.2%) or minor stroke with an NIHSS score of ≤4 (n = 14, 53.8%). Technical success rates, complications, and angiographic and clinical outcomes were analyzed retrospectively.PTAS was technically successful in all patients. The mean stenosis ratio decreased from 77.1% to 10.0% immediately after PTAS. The overall incidence of procedural complications was 23.1%, and the postoperative permanent morbidity/mortality rate was 7.7%. A total of 22 patients were tracked over an average period of 29.9 months. During the observation period, 20 patients (90.9%) had no further cerebrovascular events and stroke recurrence occurred in two patients (9.1%), resulting in an annual stroke risk of 3.7%. Two cases (11.1%) of significant in-stent restenosis (>50%) were found on follow-up angiography (n = 18).PTAS for severe stenosis (>70%) involving the intracranial extradural ICA showed a good technical feasibility and favorable clinical outcome in patients with transient ischemic attack or minor stroke.

Long-term outcomes of catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation in dilated cardiomyopathy

ObjectiveThe long-term outcomes, efficacy and safety of catheter ablation in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) have not been reported previously. Methods and resultsForty nine patients with AF (59% longstanding persistent AF, LSP-AF) and DCM were enrolled. Circumferential pulmonary vein ablation (CPVA, paroxysmal AF), bidirectional block of lines and disappearance of complex fractionated atrial electrograms (CFAEs, persistent and LSP-AF) were the endpoints of the index and repeat procedures. Cumulative success rate reached 49% (mean, 1.4 procedures) during the first year, and dropped to 38% at median follow-up of 45months (range, 36–64months) for multiple procedures (mean, 1.9±0.8 [1–4]). Incidence of procedural complications was similar to that of conventional procedures. In multivariate analysis, LSP-AF (OR, 7.40 [95% CI, 1.42–38.34]; P=0.017) and larger left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (OR, 1.24 [95% CI, 1.01–1.52]; P=0.034) were significant independent predictors of recurrent atrial tachyarrhythmia (ATa). Compared with patients with ATa recurrence, those free from ATa had better New York Heart Association functional class, 6-minute walk distance and left ventricular ejection fraction during long-term follow-up compared with pre-ablation, but this improvement was not sustained beyond 3years. ConclusionIn patients with DCM, current commonly used ablation strategies including CPVA, linear ablation and CFAE ablation are not associated with long-term AF treatment success up to five years. Freedom from ATa is associated with improved heart failure during but not beyond 3years post ablation.

Abstract 15948: Impact of Age on Safety of Radiofrequency Ablation in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation

Background: The incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) is increasing in the elderly population, however, there is paucity of data on the safety outcomes of this patient subgroup thus we sought to investigate on the impact of age on the safety of catheter ablation for AF. Methods and Results: We included 1,293 (male 75%) patients enrolled in Yonsei AF Ablation Cohort database in Seoul, South Korea, from March 2009 to November 2013. We divided the patients into 4 groups according to age (Group 1, aged 17-49, N=295 ; Group 2 50-59, N=421; Group 3 60-69 N=408; and Group 4 ≥ 70, N=169) and evaluated the incidence of procedure related complications. No procedure-related death occurred in this study. There was a trend of increasing incidence of procedure related complications with age noted as follows: Group 1= 3.7%; Group 2= 4.0%; Group 3=6.6%; and Group 4 7.1%, (p= 0.15). There were 28 cases (2.2%) of major complications (Group 1=1.7%, Group 2=1.9%, Group 3=2%, Group 4 4.1%), tamponade being the most common. Major complications in group 4 include: tamponade 4 cases, phrenic nerve palsy 1 case, atrioesophaeal fistula 1 and 3rd degree AV block in 1 patient. Multivariate regression analysis shows ablation time (odds ratio (OR) 1.2 confidence interval (CI)1.0-1.017, p=0.017), procedure time (OR 1.008, CI 1.0-1.15, p=0.04), decreasing eGFR (OR 1.013, CI 1.002-1.026 p=0.018), coronary artery disease (CAD) (OR 1.847, CI 1.003-3.524, p0.04) and age (OR 1.028, CI 1.003-1.055, p=0.03) were associated with increased adjusted risk of total complications. Predictors of major complications include age (OR 1.044, CI 1.003-1.086, p0.02) and ablation time (OR 1.009, CI 0.999-1.000, p=0.033). Conclusion: Our data suggest that incidence of procedural complications in RFA of AF increase with age. Ablation time and age are independent predictors of a major complication.

Abstract 18117: Trends in the Utilization and Outcomes of Medicare Beneficiaries Undergoing Catheter Ablation for Ventricular Tachycardia

Background: Sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) is a significant cause of sudden death, progressive ventricular dysfunction, and heart failure hospitalizations. Radiofrequency catheter ablation is used to control incessant VT and prevent or reduce the frequency of VT episodes. However, data regarding mortality and complication rates with VT ablation are limited. Objective: To measure the incidence of procedural complications, repeat ablations, hospitalization for heart failure and ventricular tachycardia, and short and long term mortality in patients undergoing VT ablation. Methods: We conducted a population-based, retrospective cohort study of all fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries who underwent catheter ablation for VT between 2000 and 2012. The main outcome measures were major complications within 30 days and 1-year rates of death, repeat ablation and heart failure and VT hospitalization. Results: There were 21,073 patients that received a VT ablation during the study period (mean age 70 years; 77% were men; 90% were white). The ablation frequency increased from 647 in 2000 to 2,760 in 2012. The 30-day incidence of pericardial complications was 2.3%, vascular complications 6.8%, stroke or transient ischemic attack 1.5%, need for mechanical circulatory support 2.3%, and death 4.2%. The 1-year incidence per 1,000 person-years for repeat ablation was 81, death 176, and hospitalization for heart failure and VT 156 and 272, respectively (Figure). Conclusions: Utilization of catheter ablation for VT has increased over the past 12 years. Major complications after VT ablation are relatively infrequent, but not trivial. These findings should inform discussion of potential procedural complications and long term prognosis and may have considerable implications when discussing treatment options for patients with VT.