Main Stem Coronary Artery Disease Research Articles

Contrast Volume-to-Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate Ratio as a Predictor of Short-Term Outcomes Following Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

Background/Objectives: Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with early mortality and adverse events. However, in the setting of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), previous literature has failed to establish a correlation between the absolute volume of contrast media administered and mortality. We aimed to investigate the impact of contrast volume administered normalised to estimated glomerular filtration rate (CV/eGFR) on the development of AKI and on 30-day all-cause mortality in TAVI patients. Methods: We retrospectively analysed a cohort of 1150 patients who underwent TAVI at our unit between 2015 and 2018. Results: Follow-up was complete for 1064 patients. There were 23 deaths within the follow-up period and 76 cases of AKI, 9 of which required new renal replacement therapy (RRT). Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed fair discrimination for 30-day all-cause mortality at a CV/eGFR ratio of 3.6 (area under the ROC curve (AUC) 0.671). Of patients in whom CV data were available, 86.0% (n = 757) had a CV/eGFR < 3.6 and 14.0% (n = 123) had a CV/eGFR ≥ 3.6. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, CV/eGFR ≥ 3.6 was the strongest predictor of 30-day all-cause mortality (odds ratio 5.06, 95% confidence interval [1.61-15.7], p = 0.004). Other independent predictors were procedural urgency (3.28 [1.04-10.3], p = 0.038) and being under general anaesthesia (4.81 [1.10-17.3], p = 0.023). CV/eGFR ≥ 3.6 was also independently associated with significantly increased odds of AKI (2.28 [1.20-4.17], p = 0.009) alongside significant non-left main stem coronary artery disease (2.56 [1.45-4.66], p = 0.001), and diabetes (1.82 [1.03-3.19], p = 0.037). In supplementary ROC curve analysis, a similar CV/eGFR cut point of 3.6 was found to be an excellent predictor for new RRT (AUC 0.833). Conclusions: In conclusion, a CV/eGFR ≥ 3.6 post-TAVI was found to be a strong predictor of 30-day mortality and AKI. The maximum contrast volume that can be safely administered in each patient without significantly increasing the risk of mortality and AKI can be calculated using this ratio.

ASSOCIATION OF ST ELEVATION IN LEAD AVR WITH LEFT MAIN STEM AND TRIPLE VESSEL DISEASES IN PATIENTS WITH NON-ST ELEVATION MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION

Objectives: To determine frequency of left main stem (LMS) and triple vessel coronary artery disease (3VCAD) in patients of Non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and to compare the frequency of LMS and 3VCAD in patients with NSTEMI with or without ST elevation in lead aVR. Methodology: Total 346 patients with NSTEMI having age 30-70 years were included in this descriptive cross-sectional study. The data on demographic details was collected. All patients underwent electrocardiography (ECG) and cardiac specific troponin-I assessment. Patients were categorized as NSTEMI with or without ST-elevation in lead aVR. Coronary angiography was performed in all patients and angiographic findings were noted. Results: Mean age of patients was 51.87±10.03 years. There were 218 (63.01%) males and 128 (36.99%) female patients. 182 (52.60%) patients of NSTEMI had ST elevation in aVR. LMS disease was found in 53 (29.10%) patients with ST elevation in aVR. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predive value and negative predictive value of ST elevation in aVR for LMS disease was 62.35%, 50.57%, 29.12% and 80.49% respectively. 3 VCAD was found in 54 (29.70%) with ST elevation in aVR. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predive value and negative predictive value of ST elevation in aVR for 3VCAD was 77.14%, 53.52%, 29.67% and 90.24% respectively. Conclusion: NSTEMI patients with ST elevation in aVR may have higher chances of having LMS disease or 3VCAD. There is high negative predictive value for ST elevation in aVR to predict LMS disease or 3VCAD.

Frequency of significant carotid artery disease on carotid angiography in patients with left main stem coronary artery disease.

Objectives: To determine the frequency of significant carotid artery disease on carotid angiography in patients presenting with left main stem coronary artery disease. Study Design: Cross Sectional study. Setting: Department of Cardiology, Faisalabad Institute of Cardiology, Faisalabad. Period: October 2016 to April 2017. Material &amp; Methods: 140 patients were included in this study. To diagnose carotid artery disease, carotid angiography was performed. Imaging was performed while subjects were lying in a supine position. Arterial access gained through femoral artery and using Headhunter carotid angiography catheter (6F). Lateral, AP and ipsilateral oblique views was obtained. Results: Age ranges between 40-75 years with mean age of 53.91±7.05 years. There were 94 (67.2%) male patients while remaining 46 patients (32.8%) were female. Carotid artery disease was found in 54 patients (38.6%). Stratification with regard to gender and age was carried out. Conclusion: In conclusion, frequency of carotid artery disease in patients with left main stem coronary artery disease is high in our population. Therefore, screening of carotid artery disease should be recommended in patients with CAD, especially in older patients with multivessel CAD.

Is it time to refresh the heart team? New paradigms for shared decision making

### Learning objectives Traditionally composed of an interventional cardiologist, non-invasive cardiologist and a cardiac surgeon, the ‘heart team’ (HT), involves a multidisciplinary approach to decision making for cardiovascular patients. Following...

Angioplasty with drug-eluting stents versus bypass grafting for treatment of unprotected left main stem disease.

Medically treated patients with unprotected left main stem (LMS) coronary artery disease have a poor prognosis and early evidence suggests there is a strong survival benefit from surgical revascularization, especially in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction.

A comparison of cardiovascular magnetic resonance and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) perfusion imaging in left main stem or equivalent coronary artery disease: a CE-MARC substudy

BackgroundAssessment of left main stem (LMS) stenosis has prognostic and therapeutic implications. Data on assessment of LMS disease by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) are limited. CE-MARC is the largest prospective comparison of CMR and SPECT against quantitative invasive coronary angiography (QCA) for detection of coronary artery disease (CAD), and provided the framework for this evaluation. The aims of this study were to compare diagnostic accuracy of visual and quantitative perfusion CMR to SPECT in patients with LMS stable CAD.MethodsFifty-four patients from the CE-MARC study were included: 27 (4%) with significant LMS or LMS-equivalent disease on QCA, and 27 age/sex-matched patients with no flow-limiting CAD. All patients underwent multi-parametric CMR, SPECT and QCA. Performance of visual and quantitative perfusion CMR by Fermi-constrained deconvolution to detect LMS disease was compared with SPECT.ResultsOf 27 patients in the LMS group, 22 (81%) had abnormal CMR and 16 (59%) had abnormal SPECT. All patients with abnormal CMR had abnormal perfusion by visual analysis. CMR demonstrated significantly higher area under the curve (AUC) for detection of disease (0.95; 0.85–0.99) over SPECT (0.63; 0.49–0.76) (p = 0.0001). Global mean stress myocardial blood flow (MBF) by CMR in LMS patients was significantly lower than controls (1.77 ± 0.72 ml/g/min vs. 3.28 ± 1.20 ml/g/min, p < 0.001). MBF of <2.08 ml/g/min had sensitivity of 78% and specificity of 85% for diagnosis of LMS disease, with an AUC (0.87; 0.75–0.94) not significantly different to visual CMR analysis (p = 0.18), and more accurate than SPECT (p = 0.003).ConclusionVisual stress perfusion CMR had higher diagnostic accuracy than SPECT to detect LMS disease. Quantitative perfusion CMR had similar performance to visual CMR perfusion analysis.

Randomised trials in left main disease: a NOBLE effort

Although patients with less extensive coronary artery disease are routinely treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and those with more extensive multivessel disease, especially diabetes, are treated with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), the optimum treatment of patients with left main disease has been the subject of numerous randomised trials. A prespecified and sufficiently powered subanalysis of patients with left main disease in the SYNTAX trial 1 Morice MC Serruys PW Kappetein AP et al. Five-year outcomes in patients with left main disease treated with either percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting in the SYNTAX trial circulation. Circulation. 2014; 129: 2388-2394 Crossref PubMed Scopus (380) Google Scholar was hypothesis generating in that there was a signal that some patients with left main stenosis, namely less complex disease as defined by the lower two tertiles of the SYNTAX score, could just as effectively be treated with PCI as with CABG. These results, as well as some evidence (albeit underpowered) from other trials including the LE MANS 2 Buszman PE Buszman PP Banasiewicz-Szkróbka I et al. Left main stenting in comparison with surgical revascularization 10-year outcomes of the (Left Main Coronary Artery Stenting) LE MANS trial. J Am Coll Cardiol Intv. 2016; 9: 318-332 Crossref Scopus (118) Google Scholar and PRE-COMBAT 3 Ahn JM Roh JH Kim YH et al. Randomized trial of stents versus bypass surgery for left main coronary artery disease: 5-year outcomes of the PRECOMBAT study. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2015; 65: 2198-2206 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (274) Google Scholar trials, led to the initiation of two large randomised trials of PCI with second generation, drug-eluting stents versus CABG. Both trials, the EXCEL trial (NCT01205776) and the NOBLE trial 4 Mäkikallio T Holm NR Lindsay M et al. Percutaneous coronary angioplasty versus coronary artery bypass grafting in treatment of unprotected left main stenosis (NOBLE): a prospective, randomised, open-label, non-inferiority trial. Lancet. 2016; (published online Oct 31.)http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)32052-9 PubMed Google Scholar have concluded; the results of the latter trial are reported in The Lancet. Percutaneous coronary angioplasty versus coronary artery bypass grafting in treatment of unprotected left main stenosis (NOBLE): a prospective, randomised, open-label, non-inferiority trialThe findings of this study suggest that CABG might be better than PCI for treatment of left main stem coronary artery disease. Full-Text PDF

Percutaneous coronary angioplasty versus coronary artery bypass grafting in treatment of unprotected left main stenosis (NOBLE): a prospective, randomised, open-label, non-inferiority trial

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is the standard treatment for revascularisation in patients with left main coronary artery disease, but use of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for this indication is increasing. We aimed to compare PCI and CABG for treatment of left main coronary artery disease. In this prospective, randomised, open-label, non-inferiority trial, patients with left main coronary artery disease were enrolled in 36 centres in northern Europe and randomised 1:1 to treatment with PCI or CABG. Eligible patients had stable angina pectoris, unstable angina pectoris, or non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Exclusion criteria were ST-elevation myocardial infarction within 24 h, being considered too high risk for CABG or PCI, or expected survival of less than 1 year. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular events (MACCE), a composite of all-cause mortality, non-procedural myocardial infarction, any repeat coronary revascularisation, and stroke. Non-inferiority of PCI to CABG required the lower end of the 95% CI not to exceed a hazard ratio (HR) of 1·35 after up to 5 years of follow-up. The intention-to-treat principle was used in the analysis if not specified otherwise. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, number NCT01496651. Between Dec 9, 2008, and Jan 21, 2015, 1201 patients were randomly assigned, 598 to PCI and 603 to CABG, and 592 in each group entered analysis by intention to treat. Kaplan-Meier 5 year estimates of MACCE were 29% for PCI (121 events) and 19% for CABG (81 events), HR 1·48 (95% CI 1·11-1·96), exceeding the limit for non-inferiority, and CABG was significantly better than PCI (p=0·0066). As-treated estimates were 28% versus 19% (1·55, 1·18-2·04, p=0·0015). Comparing PCI with CABG, 5 year estimates were 12% versus 9% (1·07, 0·67-1·72, p=0·77) for all-cause mortality, 7% versus 2% (2·88, 1·40-5·90, p=0·0040) for non-procedural myocardial infarction, 16% versus 10% (1·50, 1·04-2·17, p=0·032) for any revascularisation, and 5% versus 2% (2·25, 0·93-5·48, p=0·073) for stroke. The findings of this study suggest that CABG might be better than PCI for treatment of left main stem coronary artery disease. Biosensors, Aarhus University Hospital, and participating sites.

PP-002 Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery In The Patients With Left Main Stem Coronary Artery Disease

PP-002 Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery In The Patients With Left Main Stem Coronary Artery Disease

Cardiac applications of PET

Routine use of cardiac positron emission tomography (PET) applications has been increasing but has not replaced cardiac single-photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) studies yet. The majority of cardiac PET tracers, with the exception of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG), are not widely available, as they require either an onsite cyclotron or a costly generator for their production. 18F-FDG PET imaging has high sensitivity for the detection of hibernating/viable myocardium and has replaced Tl-201 SPECT imaging in centers equipped with a PET/CT camera. PET myocardial perfusion imaging with various tracers such as Rb-82, N-13 ammonia, and O-15 H2O has higher sensitivity and specificity than myocardial perfusion SPECT for the detection of coronary artery disease (CAD). In particular, quantitative PET measurements of myocardial perfusion help identify subclinical coronary stenosis, better define the extent and severity of CAD, and detect ischemia when there is balanced reduction in myocardial perfusion due to three-vessel or main stem CAD. Fusion images of PET perfusion and CT coronary artery calcium scoring or CT coronary angiography provide additional complementary information and improve the detection of CAD. PET studies with novel 18F-labeled perfusion tracers such as 18F-flurpiridaz and 18F-FBnTP have yielded high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of CAD. These tracers are still being tested in humans, and, if approved for clinical use, they will be commercially and widely available. In addition to viability studies, 18F-FDG PET can also be utilized to detect inflammation/infection in various conditions such as endocarditis, sarcoidosis, and atherosclerosis. Some recent series have obtained encouraging results for the detection of endocarditis in patients with intracardiac devices and prosthetic valves. PET tracers for cardiac neuronal imaging, such as C-11 HED, help assess the severity of heart failure and post-transplant cardiac reinnervation, and understand the pathogenesis of arrhytmias. The other uncommon applications of cardiac PET include NaF imaging to identify calcium deposition in atherosclerotic plaques and β-amyloid imaging to diagnose cardiac amyloid involvement. 18F-FDG imaging with a novel PET/MR camera has been reported to be very sensitive and specific for the differentiation between malignant and nonmalignant cardiac masses. The other potential applications of PET/MR are cardiac infectious/inflammatory conditions such as endocarditis.

Best practices in coronary revascularization procedures: are we where we should be?

To address the most recent evidence bases for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and stenting in patients with multivessel and left main coronary artery disease (CAD) and for optimizing the performance of CABG with particular reference to multiple arterial grafts, off-pump and less invasive CABG, graft flow measurements and external stenting of vein grafts. Current evidence confirms that CABG results in markedly superior survival to stenting for most patients with multivessel and/or left main stem CAD, as well as a significant reduction in subsequent myocardial infarction and repeat revascularization. Whereas there is strong circumstantial evidence of important survival benefits with bilateral internal mammary arteries, there is no evidence for clinical benefits of off-pump CABG, except perhaps in higher-risk patients. There appears to be increasing justification for routine graft flow measurements, while minimally invasive and robotic CABG remains as a niche specialty. CABG remains the most effective revascularization strategy in terms of survival and freedom from myocardial infarction and repeat revascularization in most patients with multivessel and/or left main stem CAD. There is a strong case for much wider use of bilateral internal mammary arteries during CABG, and off-pump CABG may be beneficial in higher-risk patients with particular reference to reducing neurologic injury. There is a strong rationale for the routine use of graft flow measurement, and particularly when using composite arterial grafts. There is a potential role for the development of an external stent to reduce the development of intimal hyperplasia in vein grafts.

“Kurdistan” Technique for the Treatment of Unprotected Trifurcation Left Main Stem Coronary Artery Lesion: Case Report

The left main coronary artery (LMCA) is responsible for supplying about 75% to 100% of the left ventricular cardiac mass. Left main stem coronary artery (LMCA) disease reduces flow to a large portion of the myocardium, placing the patient at high risk for life-threatening events such as left ventricular dysfunction and arrhythmias with a high mortality approaching 50% in those treated medically. For several decades, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has been considered as a gold standard treatment of unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA). However, successful percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) have been increasingly reported recently due to improved stent technology and better operator expertise. In spite of these factors, management can be challenging especially in LMCA bifurcational & trifurcational lesions, and therefore an integrated approach combining special techniques, physiological evaluation and adjunctive pharmacological agents should be combined for better clinical outcome. Herein, we describe a new promising technique named (Kurdistan technique) for the treatment of trifurcation unprotected left main stem lesion. In the last 18 months, 21 patients with significant trifurcational LMS had underwent PCI using this technique in our hospital (Sulaimany Heart Hospital/Kurdistan). The procedural success rate was 100%, follow up coronary angiography done between 6 - 12 months after the procedure for all the patients with no significant in-stent restenosis in any patient. One case is presented here demonstrating the technique.

SYNTAX Scoring In Patients with Coronary Artery Disease and Its Effect on Mode of Revascularization , Single Center Experience.

Background: revascularization therapy for patients with left main (LM) and/or three vessel coronary disease is a matter of argument for long a time whether bypercutaneous coronary angiography orcoronary artery bypass grafting. SYNTAX trial was designed to assess the optimal revascularization strategy between percutaneous coronary intervention and coronary artery bypass grafting, for patients with left main stem coronary artery disease and/or 3-vessel coronary disease.&#x0D; Aim: To estimate the complexity of coronary artery disease in patients referred to a tertiary Iraqi cardiac center and its effect on mode of revascularization.&#x0D; Patients and Method: Ninety nine patients who were referred to Iraqi center for heart disease from July to December 2010 withthe diagnosis of CAD were included. Full history, clinical examination, biochemical tests ( blood sugar ,total cholesterol , blood urea and serum creatinine) were checked, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic characteristics were analyzed .All patients underwent diagnostic angiography andSYNTAX score calculator was applied and the SYNTAX score was recorded.Patients were divided into two groups : group A , thosewho were planned for PCI and group B who were planned for CABG .&#x0D; Results: Mean age of the patients was 57.6±10.6, ranging 19-80 year, male were more than female (75.8% vs. 24.6%). Risk factors prevalencewas DM (42.6%), high blood pressure (52.8 %), smoking (42.4%), hypercholesterolemia (43.4%) and prior MI (32.3%).&#x0D; Mean age of group A was 54.22±11.27 while group B was 62.37±7.47 (P value 0.0001) . There was no significant difference in risk factors prevalence between group A and B ( DM 36.2% vs.51.2% p=0.31), hypertension(53.4% vs.53.3% p=0.98), smoking (41.3% vs.43.9% p=0.8), hypercholestoemia (31% vs. 60.9%),ejection fraction&lt;50% ( 20.6% vs. 24.3% ) (p=0.66). All patient with left main steam disease 13 (31.7%) passed to CABG group.&#x0D; Mean total SYNTAX score for all patients was 16.7±6.5. Mean SYNTAX score were (10.24±6, 26.01±7.7) for group A and B respectively (P value 0.00001).&#x0D; Conclusion: Patients with lower SYNTAX score were managed by PCI. Iraqi patients treated with PCI have lower syntax score than that in SYNTAX study, while those who were treated by CABG, were comparable to that in SYNTAX study.

Simultaneous kissing drug-eluting stents to treat unprotected left main stem bifurcation disease: medium term outcome in 150 consecutive patients

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is increasingly being used to treat left main stem (LMS) coronary artery disease. Disease at the LMS bifurcation is technically challenging to treat, and there is no consensus as to the best method. We previously described experimental and initial clinical results with the simultaneous kissing stents (SKS) technique in a small series using drug-eluting stents (DES). We now report our results in a larger cohort with long-term follow-up. We treated 150 consecutive, unselected patients with unprotected bifurcation LMS with SKS using DES. The patients' mean age was 67 years, 70% were male, 45% were non-elective and 35% were not surgical candidates. The New York Risk Score estimate of in-hospital mortality was (median) 0.7% (IQR 0.3-3.9%), logistic EuroSCORE 3.3% (1.3-11.9%) and angiographic SYNTAX score 20 (15-27). SKS were deployed in 99.3% of cases, and DES in 97%. There was no emergency CABG. The mortality rate at one year was 11.3% and at two years 12.7%. The (ischaemia-driven) target lesion revascularisation rate was 4.3% at one year and 6.2% at two years. The SKS technique for treating ULMS bifurcation disease is simple, feasible, effective and durable in treating "all-comers" with LMS bifurcation disease. It is a two-stent technique worthy of consideration at the LMS bifurcation.

A Global Risk Approach to Identify Patients With Left Main or 3-Vessel Disease Who Could Safely and Efficaciously Be Treated With Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: The SYNTAX Trial at 3 Years

The aim of this study was to assess the additional value of the Global Risk--a combination of the SYNTAX Score (SXscore) and additive EuroSCORE--in the identification of a low-risk population, who could safely and efficaciously be treated with coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). PCI is increasingly acceptable in appropriately selected patients with left main stem or 3-vessel coronary artery disease. Within the SYNTAX Trial (Synergy between PCI with TAXUS and Cardiac Surgery Trial), all-cause death and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) were analyzed at 36 months in low (GRC(LOW)) to high Global Risk groups, with Kaplan-Meier, log-rank, and Cox regression analyses. Within the randomized left main stem population (n = 701), comparisons between GRC(LOW) groups demonstrated a significantly lower mortality with PCI compared with CABG (CABG: 7.5%, PCI: 1.2%, hazard ratio [HR]: 0.16, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.03 to 0.70, p = 0.0054) and a trend toward reduced MACCE (CABG: 23.1%, PCI: 15.8%, HR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.39 to 1.07, p = 0.088). Similar analyses within the randomized 3-vessel disease population (n = 1,088) demonstrated no statistically significant differences in mortality (CABG: 5.2%, PCI: 5.8%, HR: 1.14, 95% CI: 0.57 to 2.30, p = 0.71) or MACCE (CABG: 19.0%, PCI: 24.7%, HR: 1.35, 95% CI: 0.95 to 1.92, p = 0.10). Risk-model performance and reclassification analyses demonstrated that the EuroSCORE-with the added incremental benefit of the SXscore to form the Global Risk-enhanced the risk stratification of all PCI patients. In comparison with the SXscore, the Global Risk, with a simple treatment algorithm, substantially enhances the identification of low-risk patients who could safely and efficaciously be treated with CABG or PCI.

Lessons learned from the SYNTAX trial for multivessel and left main stem coronary artery disease

The SYNergy between percutaneous coronary intervention with TAXus and cardiac surgery (SYNTAX) trial is the most important trial of surgery and stents in patients with severe coronary artery disease (CAD) and reflects real clinical practice. This review describes its key findings at 3 years with particular reference to what is already known on this topic. Taking together the SYNTAX randomized trial and its registry component, almost 79% of patients with three-vessel CAD and almost two-thirds of patients with left main stem (LMS) disease have a survival benefit and marked reduction in the need for repeat revascularization with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in comparison to stents, implying that CABG is still the treatment of choice for most of these patients. This conclusion, at odds with results of previous trials of stenting and surgery but consistent with findings of large propensity-matched registries, can be explained by the fact that SYNTAX enrolled 'real life' patients rather than the highly select patients in previous trials. SYNTAX also shows that for patients with less severe CAD there is no difference in survival between CABG and stents but a lower incidence of repeat revascularization with CABG. The results of the SYNTAX trial confirm that at 3 years CABG remains the treatment of choice for most patients with three-vessel and LMS disease and especially in those with the most severe disease. SYNTAX will have a profound effect on practice recommendations for the foreseeable future and already has had a major effect on the new European Society for Cardiology/European Association for Cardiothoracic Surgery guidelines for myocardial revascularization.

Successful On-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Without Using Protamine

A 48-year-old woman presented with a history of angina and breathlessness on exertion. She was diagnosed to have critical left main stem coronary artery disease along with a blocked right coronary artery. She was also allergic to protamine. After multidisciplinary consultation, it was decided to use heparin without protamine for reversal. She underwent successful on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) without excessive blood loss. The disadvantages were a longer total operating time and the use of blood products to achieve normal coagulation. This case report describes the successful management of this complex problem.

Why coronary artery bypass surgery is still the optimal treatment strategy for left main stem disease: an evidence-based review with a Malaysian surgical perspective

Left main stem (LMS) coronary artery disease (CAD) remains an important risk factor for increased mortality and morbidity at all stages of diagnosis and treatment of coronary artery disease. Anatomically,...

Increased dynamic stiffness of extracardial vessels in left main stem coronary artery disease

Objective: Dynamic stiffness (DS) and the elastic properties of extracardial vessels in patients with coronary artery disease with or without left main stenosis were analyzed by direct mechanical measurements of human vascular tissue.

Coronary artery bypass graft vs. percutaneous coronary angioplasty: CABG on the rebound?

To examine the benefits of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) against percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and particularly the use of drug-eluting stents (DES) in situations where CABG has traditionally been considered the most effective therapy on clinical and economic grounds. Current studies reconfirm that CABG is still the best therapy in terms of improved survival and freedom from reintervention for most patients with proximal left anterior descending, multivessel and left main-stem coronary artery disease (CAD) and that these benefits are even greater in diabetic patients. Health economic analyses also confirm the cost-effectiveness of medical therapy and CABG but not PCI. Furthermore, several meta-analyses have shown that DES do not improve survival or freedom from myocardial infarction compared with bare metal stents, but increase the risk of stent thrombosis, with associated medical and financial implications for prolonged dual antiplatelet medication. In view of the evidence in favour of CABG, this article questions the justifiability of some trials of PCI vs. CABG, especially in diabetic patients and those with left main-stem CAD, and exhorts the need for a multidisciplinary team approach to the management of CAD as a minimum standard of care.