Ostial Left Circumflex Artery Research Articles

Optimal Minimal Stent Area and Impact of Stent Underexpansion in Left Main Up-Front 2-Stent Strategy.

We previously reported the use of minimal stent area to predict angiographic in-stent restenosis after drug-eluting stent implantation for unprotected left main (LM) disease. We aimed to evaluate the optimal minimal stent area criteria for up-front LM 2-stenting based on long-term clinical outcomes. We identified 292 consecutive patients with LM bifurcation stenosis who were treated using the crush technique. The final minimal stent area was measured in the ostial left anterior descending artery (LAD), ostial left circumflex artery (LCX), and distal LM. The primary outcome was 5-year major adverse cardiac events, including all-cause death, myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization. The minimal stent area cutoff values that best predicted the 5-year major adverse cardiac events were 11.8 mm2 for distal LM (area under the curve, 0.57; P=0.15), 8.3 mm2 for LAD ostium (area under the curve, 0.62; P=0.02), and 5.7 mm2 for LCX ostium (area under the curve, 0.64; P=0.01). Using these criteria, the risk of 5-year major adverse cardiac events was significantly associated with stent underexpansion in the LAD ostium (hazard ratio, 3.14; [95% CI, 1.23-8.06]; P=0.02) and LCX ostium (hazard ratio, 2.60 [95% CI, 1.11-6.07]; P=0.03) but not in the distal LM (hazard ratio, 0.81 [95% CI, 0.34-1.91]; P=0.63). Patients with stent underexpansion in both ostial LAD and LCX had a significantly higher rate of 5-year major adverse cardiac events than those with no or 1 underexpanded stent of either ostium (P<0.01). Stent underexpansion in the LAD and LCX ostium was significantly associated with long-term outcomes in patients who underwent up-front 2-stenting for LM bifurcation stenosis.

Clinical and procedural outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention for de novo lesions involving the ostial left circumflex coronary artery.

Percutaneous treatment for ostial left circumflex artery (LCx) lesions is known to be associated with suboptimal results. The present study aims to assess the procedural and long-term clinical outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for de novo ostial LCx lesions overall and according to the coronary revascularization strategy. Consecutive patients undergoing PCI with second generation drug eluting stents or drug coated balloons for de novo ostial LCx lesions in three high-volume Italian centers between 2012 and 2021 were retrospectively evaluated. The primary endpoint was target-vessel revascularization (TVR) at 2 years. Secondary endpoints included major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), target lesion revascularization, myocardial infarction, stroke, all-cause death, and repeat revascularization. A total of 366 patients were included in the analysis with a median follow-up of 901 (IQR: 450-1728) days. 79.5% of the patients were male, 33.6% were diabetic, 49.7% had a previous PCI, and 23.1% a prior surgical revascularization. Very ostial LCx stenting was performed in 34.1%, crossover from left main to LCx in 17.3%, and a two-stent strategy in 48.6% of cases, respectively. In the overall population, the incidence of TVR at 2 years was 19.0% while MACCE rate was 25.7%. No major differences in clinical outcomes were found according to the stenting strategy. Use of intracoronary imaging was associated with fewer MACCE (HR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.25-1.13, p = 0.01), while the diameter of the stent implanted in the ostial LCx was associated with less TVR (HR: 0.43, 95% CI: 0.25-0.75, p = 0.002). Percutaneous revascularization of the ostial LCx is associated with a high rate of TVR, regardless of the stenting strategy. Intracoronary imaging and proper stent sizing may reduce the failure rates.

Drug-coated balloons for the treatment of ostial left anterior descending or ostial left circumflex artery lesions: a patient-level propensity score-matched analysis.

Controversy exists as to the optimal treatment approach for ostial left anterior descending (LAD) or ostial left circumflex artery (LCx) lesions. Drug-coated balloons (DCB) may overcome some of the limitations of drug-eluting stents (DES). Therefore, we investigated the security and feasibility of the DCB policy in patients with ostial LAD or ostial LCx lesions, and compared it with the conventional DES-only strategy. We retrospectively enrolled patients with de novo ostial lesions in the LAD or LCx who underwent interventional treatment. They were categorized into two groups based on their treatment approach: the DCB group and the DES group. The treatment strategies in the DCB group involved the use of either DCB-only or hybrid strategies, whereas the DES group utilized crossover or precise stenting techniques. Two-year target lesion revascularization was the primary endpoint, while the rates of major adverse cardiovascular events, cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction, and vessel thrombosis were the secondary endpoints. Using propensity score matching, we assembled a cohort with comparable baseline characteristics. To ensure result analysis reliability, we conducted sensitivity analyses, including interaction, and stratified analyses. Among the 397 eligible patients, 6.25% of patients who were planned to undergo DCB underwent DES. A total of 108 patients in each group had comparable propensity scores and were included in the analysis. Two-year target lesion revascularization occurred in 5 patients (4.90%) and 16 patients (16.33%) in the DCB group and the DES group, respectively (odds ratio = 0.264, 95% CI: 0.093-0.752, P = 0.008). Compared with the DES group, the DCB group demonstrated a lower major adverse cardiovascular events rate (7.84% vs. 19.39%, P = 0.017). However, differences with regard to cardiac death, non-periprocedural target vessel myocardial infarction, and definite or probable vessel thrombosis between the groups were non-significant. The utilization of the DCB approach signifies an innovative and discretionary strategy for managing isolated ostial lesions in the LAD or LCx. Nevertheless, a future randomized trial investigating the feasibility and safety of DCB compared to the DES-only strategy specifically for de novo ostial lesions in the LAD or LCx is highly warranted.

Dynamic assessment of the left main-left circumflex bending angle: Implications for ostial left circumflex artery in-stent restenosis after successful two-stent PCI

BackgroundTwo-stent techniques for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on left main (LM) bifurcation (LMB) lesions are associated with an increased risk of in-stent restenosis (ISR) at left circumflex artery (LCx) ostium but the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. This study sought to investigate the association between cyclic change of LM-LCx bending angle (BALM-LCx) and the risk of ostial LCx ISR following two-stent techniques. MethodsIn a retrospective cohort of patients undergoing two-stent PCI for LMB lesions, BALM-LCx and distal bifurcation angle (DBA) were computed with 3-dimensional angiographic reconstruction. The analysis was performed both at end-diastole and end-systole, and the angulation change throughout the cardiac cycle was defined as the cardiac motion-induced angulation change (∆CAngle). ResultsA total of 101 patients were included. The mean pre-procedural BALM-LCx was 66.8 ± 16.1° at end-diastole and 54.1 ± 13.3° at end-systole with a range of 13.0 ± 7.7°. Pre-procedural ∆CBALM-LCx > 16.4° was the most relevant predictor of ostial LCx ISR (adjusted OR 11.58, 95% CI 4.04–33.19; p < 0.001). Post-procedural ∆CBALM-LCx > 9.8° and stent-induced diastolic BALM-LCx change > 11.6° were also related with ostial LCx ISR. DBA was positively correlated with BALM-LCx and showed a weaker association of pre-procedural ∆CDBA > 14.5° with ostial LCx ISR (adjusted OR 6.87, 95% CI 2.57–18.37; p < 0.001). ConclusionsThree-dimensional angiographic bending angle is a feasible and reproducible novel method for LMB angulation measurement. A large pre-procedural cyclic change of BALM-LCx was associated with an increased risk of ostial LCx ISR following two-stent techniques.

Combined venous and arterial thrombosis revealing underlying myeloproliferative disorder in a young patient: a case report

BackgroundMyeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) such as polycythemia Vera (PV) and Essential Thrombocythemia (ET) can be associated with a high risk of both venous and arterial thrombosis. However, the co-existence between these two complications is very rare and has never been described before, especially in young adults with no known history of MPNs.Case presentationWe report the case of a 39 year-old Caucasian Moroccan male patient without cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF), who presented with acute chest pain. He also suffered from a severe headache since 2 weeks. Electrocardiogram (ECG) showed ST segment elevation myocardial infarction in the posterolateral leads. Cerebral Computed Tomography (CT) scan revealed subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), and cerebral Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) found a Superior Sagittal Sinus Thrombosis (SSST). Routine blood tests showed raised hemoglobin and hematocrit in addition to leukocytosis and thrombocythemia. His coronary angiography revealed a thrombus in the ostial left circumflex artery (LCX). Further testing revealed positive Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) V617F mutation and low erythropoietin level, confirming the diagnosis of PV according to the 2008 World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. Antithrombotic and anti-ischemic treatments, in addition to myelosuppressive therapy with hydroxyurea, were initiated with a good clinical and biological evolution.ConclusionThis case shows that MPNs are an important cause of thrombosis, especially in young patients with no other risk factors. Early diagnosis and appropriate management are fundamental before the occurrence of life-threatening complications that can sometimes present in unusual forms associating arterial and venous thrombotic events.

Clinical impact of bifurcation angle change between diastole and systole in complex stenting for left main distal bifurcation: The Milan and New-Tokyo (MITO) Registry.

We assessed the impact of pre-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) bifurcation angle change (BAC) on clinical outcomes. There are little available data about the impact of BAC in unprotected left main distal bifurcation lesions (ULMD) PCI. We identified consecutive 300 patients with ULMD underwent complex stenting using drug-eluting stent in three high-volume centers (Tokyo and Milan). We measured the widest BA of ULMD at both end-diastole and end-systole before stenting with two-dimensional quantitative coronary angiographic assessment and calculated the BAC value as a difference of two BA value in each lesion. We divided them into small and large BAC group according to the median BAC value (7.2°). The primary endpoint was target lesion failure (TLF), which was defined as a composite of cardiac death, target lesion revascularization (TLR) and myocardial infarction. TLF rate at 3-year was significantly higher in the large BAC group than in the small BAC group (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 5.85; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.40-10.1; p< .001). TLR rate for left main (LM) to left anterior descending artery (LAD) and ostial left circumflex artery (LCXos) at 3-year were significantly higher in large BAC group than in small BAC group (adjusted HR 5.91; 95% CI, 2.03-17.2; p= .001 and adjusted HR 10.6; 95% CI, 5.20-21.6; p< .001, respectively). A large BAC before stenting is strongly associated with adverse events after complex stenting for ULMD, mainly driven by repeat PCI for restenosis of the LCXos and of the LM-LAD.

Comparison of a Simple Angiographic Approach With a Synergy Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Taxus and Cardiac Surgery Score-Based Approach for Left Main Coronary Artery Stenting: A Pooled Analysis of Serial PRECOMBAT (Premier of Randomized Comparison of Bypass Surgery Versus Angioplasty Using Sirolimus-Eluting Stent in Patients With Left Main Coronary Artery Disease) Studies.

The applicability of Synergy Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Taxus and Cardiac Surgery scores to left main coronary artery disease (CAD) has been questioned. A simplified alternative is needed for guiding decision making. We evaluated the prognostic value of a simplified angiographic classification in comparison with a Synergy Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Taxus and Cardiac Surgery score-based approach for patients with left main CAD undergoing drug-eluting stent implantation. The proposed approach classified left main CAD as either extensive (n=819), defined as left main bifurcation lesions with an involvement of ostial left circumflex artery or as any left main lesion plus multivessel CAD, or limited (n=453), defined as ostial/midshaft lesions or left main bifurcation lesions without an involvement of ostium of left circumflex artery, alone or plus 1-vessel disease. The databases from 4 prospective Premier of Randomized Comparison of Bypass Surgery versus Angioplasty Using Sirolimus-Eluting Stent in Patients with Left Main Coronary Artery Disease studies were pooled, and the primary outcome was a major adverse cardiac event, defined as death, myocardial infarction, or repeat revascularization. During follow-up (median 38 months; interquartile range, 36-61 months), the risk for major adverse cardiac event was significantly higher with extensive than with limited left main CAD (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.13; 95% confidence interval, 1.54-2.94; P<0.001). The risk for a composite outcome of death or myocardial infarction was also higher with extensive left main CAD (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.75; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-2.85; P=0.02). However, Synergy Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Taxus and Cardiac Surgery score tertiles did not effectively stratify these 2 outcome measures. Compared with Synergy Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Taxus and Cardiac Surgery scores, the simpler angiographic approach provided better discrimination for future cardiovascular events in patients with left main CAD undergoing drug-eluting stent implantation.

TCTAP C-016 Left Main Coronary Artery to Left Anterior Descending Artery Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Acute Anterior Myocardial Infarction Complicated by Ostial Left Circumflex Artery Plaque Shift: Make it Complex or Keep it Simple

TCTAP C-016 Left Main Coronary Artery to Left Anterior Descending Artery Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Acute Anterior Myocardial Infarction Complicated by Ostial Left Circumflex Artery Plaque Shift: Make it Complex or Keep it Simple

Highlights From the Circulation Family of Journals.

Highlights From the Circulation Family of Journals.

Difference in vascular response between sirolimus-eluting- and everolimus-eluting stents in ostial left circumflex artery after unprotected left main as observed by optical coherence tomography

BackgroundKissing-balloon technique (KBT) is commonly performed during percutaneous coronary intervention of distal unprotected left main coronary artery (ULM) aiming at obtaining optimal opening of the side branch (left circumflex artery; LCX) ostium. Nonetheless, detailed evaluation of vascular response to stents in LCX ostium is lacking. We therefore evaluated the vascular response to different drug-eluting stents (DES) in ostial LCX after ULM by means of optical coherence tomography (OCT). MethodsWe prospectively enrolled 38 consecutive patients with ULM disease, who were treated with single-stent procedure using DES, crossover the ULM-left anterior descending artery (LAD) followed by KBT. Twelve patients were treated with sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) and 26 patients were treated with everolimus-eluting stents (EES). OCT was conducted at post-PCI and 9-month follow-up. We evaluated the DES–vessel interactions and number of stent struts at the side branch (LCX) ostium (SO) at post-PCI, and compared the narrowing of ostial area at LCX between SES and EES. ResultsPost-procedure, the number of stent struts at SO was significantly higher in SES compared to EES (median 14.47% vs 0.19%, p<0.001). The narrowing of LCX ostial area at follow-up was more pronounced in SES compared with EES (29.16% vs 2.46%, respectively, p<0.001). Linear regression analysis showed a high correlation between the number of stent struts in LCX ostium and ostial area narrowing (r=0.771, p<0.001). ConclusionsOCT showed differences between EES– and SES–vessel interactions at ULM bifurcation PCI. Number of LCX ostium struts at post-PCI impacted the narrowing of ostial area at 9-month follow-up.

Comparison Between 1- and 2-Stent Strategies in Unprotected Distal Left Main Disease: The Milan and New-Tokyo Registry.

There are only little data available on the comparison of clinical outcomes between a 1-stent strategy (1-SS) and a 2-stent strategy (2-SS) for percutaneous coronary intervention in unprotected distal left main disease. Between April 2005 and August 2011, we recruited 937 consecutive unprotected distal left main patients treated with drug-eluting stents (1-SS, 608 patients; 2-SS, 329 patients). Major adverse cardiovascular events were defined as all-cause death, myocardial infarction, or target lesion revascularization (TLR) during the median follow-up period of 1592 days. Furthermore, the individual components of major adverse cardiovascular events, cardiac death, and stent thrombosis were evaluated. More complex lesions were seen with 2-SS than with 1-SS. Cardiac death occurred more frequently with 1-SS than with 2-SS (propensity score-adjusted hazard ratio, 0.52; 95% confidence interval, 0.29-0.64; P=0.03), whereas TLR occurred more frequently with 2-SS than with 1-SS (propensity score-adjusted hazard ratio, 1.59; 95% confidence interval, 1.15-2.20; P=0.005). TLR was mainly driven by revascularizations after restenosis at the ostial left circumflex artery (propensity score-adjusted hazard ratio, 1.94; 95% confidence interval, 1.33-2.82; P=0.001). However, there were no differences in major adverse cardiovascular events, all-cause death, stent thrombosis, and myocardial infarction. Of the 139 pairs that were propensity score matched, only TLRs were significantly higher in the 2-SS group (hazard ratio, 1.59; 95% confidence interval, 1.00-2.53; P=0.05). The difference between 1-SS and 2-SS in percutaneous coronary intervention for unprotected distal left main disease may be summarized by the high incidence of TLR, mainly because of restenosis at the ostial left circumflex artery in the 2-SS group.

One-year outcomes following drug-eluting balloon use for coronary ostial restenosis

AimsThe management of ostial lesions is one of the challenges of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in recent medicine. Although stent implantation has increased the accuracy of the results and improved long-term outcomes, in-stent restenosis (ISR) occurs more frequency following the treatment of ostial lesions than the treatment of non-ostial lesions. When additional stenting is not desirable, PCI with drug-eluting balloons (DEBs) has emerged as an adjunctive strategy. However, little data regarding the effects of DEBs in ostial ISR lesions are available. Our study aimed to assess the efficacy of the use of DEBs in coronary ostial instent restenotic lesions. Methods and resultsFrom November of 2011 to May of 2014, 85 patients were diagnosed with coronary ostial ISR in our hospital. A total of 93 coronary ostial ISR lesions were treated with DEBs. More than half of the study patients had comorbidities, including hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia, 77.6% of the study patients had triple vessel coronary artery disease, and 54.1% of the study patients had left main coronary artery disease. In our study, target lesion revascularization were performed in 19.2% in all groups; 11.5% were in the ostial left anterior descending artery, 29.0% were in the ostial left circumflex artery, and 21.4% were in the ostial right coronary artery. Across all of the groups, 24.4% of the patients experienced major adverse cardiac cerebral events. ConclusionPercutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting balloons is an alternative strategy for coronary ostial instent restenosis when additional stenting is not desirable.

Frequency domain optical coherence tomography to assess non-ostial left main coronary artery.

The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of unprotected non-ostial left main (LM) imaging by frequency domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT). We conducted a retrospective analysis of OCT studies performed to image lesions located in the non-ostial LM. OCT studies were analysed off-line to detect the number of artefact frames in the different LM/bifurcation segments. OCT cross-sectional images were used to assess area measures. OCT longitudinal reconstructions were used to obtain the LM length. Standard quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) was used as the reference methodology. A total of 54 patients with non-ostial LM disease entered the study. The mean number of LM artefact frames was 8±10, corresponding to 19% of the total number of LM frames analysed. The percentages of artefact frames differed significantly according to the segment analysed: 43.3% proximal LM, 11.4% mid LM and 2.1% distal LM, 2.0% ostial left anterior descending artery and 0% ostial left circumflex artery (p<0.0001). All LM OCT measurements were significantly correlated with QCA measurements. The results of the present study show that FD-OCT assessment of non-ostial LM disease is feasible and may provide high-quality imaging. OCT assessment of distal LM is more efficient than that of the proximal LM segment.

Very late bioresorbable scaffold thrombosis after discontinuation of dual antiplatelet therapy

A 57-year-old gentleman was admitted with unstable angina with dynamic ECG changes (E), 4 days after discontinuation of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAT) with aspirin and clopidogrel. He had undergone staged percutaneous coronary intervention with bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS; ABSORB 1.1, Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, CA, USA) implantation in the ostial left circumflex artery (LCx) 2 years ago ( Panels A–D ), followed by everolimus-eluting metal stent implantation in …

A case of very late stent thrombosis after sirolimus-eluting stent implantation in a patient with provoked severe coronary spasm

A 73-year-old male patient suffered from very late stent thrombosis occurred 6 years after sirolimuseluting stent (SES) implantation in the ostial and proximal left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). He presented emergently with cardiogenic shock and emergent coronary angiography showed thombus in the ostial stent and in the ostial left circumflex artery. Optical coherence tomography found delayed healing on the ostial stent. Acetylcholine provocation test had also shown severe provoked coronary spasm in all coronary arteries 28 months after SES implantation which suggested the association of severe coronary endothelial dysfunction as a potential mechanism of very late stent thrombosis.

Two dislodged and crushed coronary stents: treatment of two simultaneously dislodged stents using crushing techniques

Coronary stent dislodgement is a rare complication of percutaneous coronary intervention. We report a rare case of dislodgement of two intracoronary stents. On withdrawal of two balloon catheters, one with a guide wire was mechanically distorted from the left main (LM) to the proximal left anterior descending artery (LAD) while the other was dislodged from the LM to the ostial left circumflex artery. The stent in the LAD could not be retrieved into the guide catheter using a Goose neck snare, because it was caught on a previously deployed stent at the mid LAD. A new stent was quickly deployed from the LM to the proximal LAD, because the patient developed cardiogenic shock. Both stents, including a distorted and elongated stent, were crushed to the LM wall. Stent deployment and crushing may be a good alternative technique to retrieving a dislodged stent.

Fractional Flow Reserve Versus Angiography in Left Circumflex Ostial Intervention After Left Main Crossover Stenting

Background and ObjectivesDiscrepancy between angiographic percent (%) diameter stenosis and fractional flow reserve (FFR) exists in non-left main bifurcation lesions. The aim of this study was to compare angiographic stenosis severity and FFR in jailed ostial left circumflex artery (LCX) lesions after left main (LM)-to-left anterior descending artery (LAD) crossover stenting.Subjects and MethodsTwenty-nine (n=29) patients with distal LM or ostial LAD lesions treated by LM-to-LAD crossover stenting were consecutively enrolled. After successful stenting, FFR was measured at the jailed LCX. Additional intervention was performed in lesions with FFR <0.8.ResultsThe mean reference diameter of LCX was 3.1±0.4 mm, and percent diameter stenosis after crossover stenting was 56±21%. Angiographically significant stenosis (>50%) at the ostial LCX occurred in 59% (17/29) of cases. Among them, only five (29%) lesions had functional significance, and underwent additional procedure. During follow-up, three patients in the deferral group and two patients in the additional intervention group had target lesion revascularization.ConclusionThere was a discrepancy between angiographic percent diameter stenosis and FFR in jailed LCX lesions after LM crossover stenting.