Postprocedural Events Research Articles

Use of Double-Layer Carotid Stents is Associated with Improved Patient Survival and Lower Neurological Complications: A Single-Center Retrospective Observational Study

Background/Objectives: Dual-layer stents (DLS) with micromesh technology may offer better protection from plaque protrusion compared to single-layer stents (SLS), but little data are available. The aim of this study is to compare clinical outcomes of elective carotid artery stenting for asymptomatic and symptomatic patients treated for primary CAS with DLS or SLS in a high-volume center. Methods: This study is a single-center retrospective cohort study and included patients who underwent elective CAS between December 2006 and September 2023. The final analysis included patient baseline characteristics, postoperative complications and patient outcomes. Results: A total of 573 patients underwent elective carotid artery stenting in the study period. Most of the 573 patients undergoing CAS were male (62.5%), and the median age of patients at the time of CAS was 70 years. Of the 573 eligible patients, 43.5% (n = 249) were asymptomatic and 56.4% (n = 323) were symptomatic. Analyzing neurological complications, it was found that the only factor that had a statistically significant effect was the type of stent used. Patients who had a carotid stenting procedure using a single-layer carotid stent had statistically significantly more periprocedural neurological complications (8.3% (n = 35)) than the double-mesh stent group (2% (n = 3)), mostly due to more transient ischemic attacks in the single-layer stent group (4% (n = 17)) compared to the double-mesh group (0.7% (n = 1)). Conclusions: The use of carotid double-layer stents is associated with a low rate of periprocedural and postprocedural events.

Device-assisted transcatheter closure of large secundum atrial septal defects: a novel approach.

Transcatheter closure of large and complex atrial septal defect can pose challenges and complications during device placement. To improve stability, several assistive techniques have been developed. This retrospective study evaluated the efficacy of the device-assisted device closure technique for large secundum atrial septal defects. Patients who underwent device-assisted device closure of atrial septal defect between December 2023 and August 2024 were analysed. Twenty patients (mean age 38.69 years) underwent device closure of large secundum atrial septal defect with device-assisted device closure technique. The mean atrial septal defect diameter was 31.9 mm. The average thick-to-thick measurement was 38.3 mm, which determined the device size. The majority (18 cases) had thin, floppy margins and two had deficient inferior rim. Successful closure was achieved in 18 patients (90%), while two patients (10%) required other methods of assistance. Based on fluoroscopic guidance, patients were divided into two groups: Group A (8 patients) used anteroposterior projection, and Group B (12 patients) used left anterior oblique-cranial view. After initial two failures with anteroposterior view, all cases were successfully closed using left anterior oblique-cranial projection. Device sizes ranged from 36 to 50 mm (median 40 mm). Cocoon devices were used for sizes up to 42 mm, and Occlunix for larger devices. No significant procedural complications occurred, although two patients had minor post-procedural events. Device-assisted device closure technique offers a promising and safe dynamic assistance approach for transcatheter closure of large and challenging atrial septal defects. The left anterior oblique-cranial view showed promising results, though without statistical significance. While results are encouraging, larger prospective studies are needed to validate its effectiveness.

Comparative Outcomes of Left Main and Non-Left Main Percutaneous Coronary Intervention from the Excellence in Coronary Artery Disease (XLCAD) Registry.

There are limited comparative data on real-world outcomes of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of the left main (LM) and non-LM coronary arteries. 873 consecutive patients undergoing LM PCI (n=256) and non-LM PCI (n=617) were enrolled between September 2019-March 2023 in the Excellence in Coronary Artery Disease (XLCAD) Registry. Primary outcome was 1-year incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), a composite of all-cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, clinically driven repeat revascularization and ischemic stroke. The secondary outcome was periprocedural (≤30 days) events. Study cohort included 68% men, mean age 71.9 ± 10.3 in LM and 67.2 ± 11.1 years in non-LM PCI groups (p<0.001). LM PCI patients had significantly greater co-morbidities (diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, prior stroke, prior myocardial infarction, prior coronary revascularization, peripheral artery disease, chronic lung and kidney disease and heart failure) compared with non-LM. Acute coronary syndrome indication was the most prevalent (69%). Mechanical circulatory support was employed in 3.1% LM vs 1% non-LM PCI patients (p=0.026). Mean number of lesions treated were 2.2 ± 1.0 in LM and 1.4 ± 0.6 in non-LM PCI groups (p<0.001). Multivessel PCI was performed in 68.8% LM and 21% non-LM PCI patients (p<0.001). Overall, drug-eluting stent use (96.7%), bifurcation PCI (24.7%) and atherectomy (2.4%) were similar across groups. Technical and procedural success rates were high across groups, however significantly higher in non-LM group. Periprocedural (≤30 days post-procedure) events included mortality in 3.5% LM and 1.5% non-LM PCI (p=0.334) and MACE 4.7% LM vs 2.4% non-LM PCI (p=0.080) groups. One-year MACE was significantly higher in LM vs. non-LM PCI (12.9% vs. 8.4%, respectively; p=0.043), driven mainly by higher repeat percutaneous revascularization in LM group (12.1% vs 6.2%; p=0.003). Mortality at 1-year in LM vs non-LM PCI were 10.2% vs 5.8% (p=0.074). In a real-world experience, LM PCI is performed in patients with significantly greater comorbidities compared with non-LM PCI, with high procedural success. Thirty-day mortality and 1-year MACE are significantly higher in LM group.

Serum Nitric Oxide, Endothelin-1 Correlates Post-Procedural Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events among Patients with Acute STEMI.

ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a common and severe form of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum nitric oxide (NO) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) levels with the severity of STEMI and their predictive value for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) within one year after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in STEMI patients. The retrospective study was conducted on 269 STEMI patients who underwent PCI. The patients were categorized into two groups: those who developed MACE (112 cases) and those who did not (157 cases) within one year. NO and ET1 levels were measured in collected serum using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Receive-operating characteristics (ROC) curve was used to analyze the prognostic potential of NO and ET1 individually and in combination, p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Significant differences were noted between the two groups concerning age, Killip classification, left ventricular ejection fraction, cardiac troponin I (cTnI), creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), as well as serum NO and ET-1 levels. The study observed that patients who developed MACE had lower serum NO and higher ET-1 levels upon admission. Further analysis revealed a significant inverse relationship between serum NO and ET-1 levels and the severity of myocardial infarction. A combined detection model, -0.082 * NO + 0.059 * ET-1, demonstrated promising prognostic value for the occurrence of MACE within one year post-PCI. Serum NO and ET-1 levels serve as valuable prognostic markers for MACE in STEMI patients undergoing PCI, exhibiting a strong correlation with AMI severity.

Association between preprocedural thromboembolic or bleeding events under oral anticoagulation therapy and mid-term outcomes after percutaneous left atrial appendage closure

Abstract Background Currently, no consensus has been established on the most effective antithrombotic therapy to prevent thromboembolic and bleeding events in patients undergoing percutaneous left atrial appendage closure (LAAC). Methods We retrospectively investigated the incidence of device-related thrombosis (DRT), thromboembolic events, and bleeding events in patients who underwent LAAC from September 2019 to October 2022. After categorizing patients into groups based on preprocedural thromboembolic or bleeding events under oral anticoagulation (OAC) therapy, we compared the incidence of DRT and prognosis according to the postprocedural antithrombotic therapy. Results In patients who received the conventional antithrombotic therapy (OAC with and without single antiplatelet therapy for 45 days after LAAC and dual-antiplatelet therapy from 45 days to 6 months followed by single antiplatelet therapy), preprocedural thromboembolic events despite OAC were independently associated with DRT or postprocedural thromboembolic events at the 3-year follow-up (hazard ratio [HR] 4.55; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.32–15.6; P = 0.016), whereas preprocedural bleeding events were independently associated with postprocedural bleeding events (HR 8.01, 95% CI 1.45–58.3; P = 0.036). Continuation of OAC for 12 months among patients who developed preprocedural thromboembolic events during OAC significantly decreased the incidence of DRT or postoperative thromboembolic events (P = 0.002) with no increase in the bleeding events (P = 0.522). Conclusions Preprocedural thromboembolic and bleeding events can predict adverse events after LAAC with conventional antiplatelet-based antithrombotic therapy. Patients who develop thromboembolic events under continuous OAC may benefit from continuous OAC for 1 year after LAAC.

Multicenter Experience with the Pipeline Flex and Vantage with Shield Technology for Intracranial Aneurysm Treatment.

The Pipeline Embolization Device is a safe and effective treatment option for intracranial aneurysms. The newer Pipeline generations have received structural refinements and a surface modification to improve deliverability, procedural safety, and angiographic outcomes. This multicenter study evaluated the clinical safety and efficacy of the 2 surface-modified Pipeline iterations, Pipeline Vantage and Pipeline Flex with Shield Technology (PFS). Consecutive patients treated between 2017 and 2023 were retrospectively reviewed for aneurysm characteristics, procedural details, complications, and angiographic outcomes. The safety end point was the rate of procedural and postprocedural major neurologic events occurring during the hospital stay. The efficacy end point was the rate of complete occlusion at last follow-up. One hundred forty-one patients underwent 112 Pipeline Vantage procedures and 32 PFS procedures for 147 aneurysms with a mean size of 8.0 (SD, 5.9) mm (11% ruptured, 16% posterior circulation, 18% nonsaccular morphology). All procedures were technically successful with a mean of 1.2 devices implanted. Balloon angioplasty was required in 20/144 (13.9%) procedures. Major neurologic adverse events occurred in 6/144 (4.2%) procedures (all ischemic stroke), resulting in death in 2 (1.4%) patients. There were no hemorrhagic complications. At a mean of 11 months, complete occlusion was achieved in 85/112 (75.9%) aneurysms, 15/112 (13.4%) had an entry remnant, and 12/112 (10.7%) had an aneurysm remnant. The results demonstrate high feasibility, procedural safety, and efficacy of the surface-modified Pipeline flow diverters.

Dynamics of Thrombogenicity and Platelet Function and Correlation with Bleeding Risk in Patients Undergoing M-TEER Using the PASCAL System.

Transcatheter mitral valve repair is performed in a patient population at risk for thrombotic and bleeding events. The effects on platelet function and reactivity and their association with bleeding events after mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge therapy (M-TEER) have not been systematically examined. We sought to investigate the association of different parameters of platelet function and thrombogenicity with bleeding events post M-TEER. In this single-center study, 100 consecutive patients with mitral regurgitation receiving TEER were analyzed. Blood was taken directly from the guide-catheter in the left atrium before and after placing the device. Blood samples were analyzed using impedance aggregometry (Multiplate) and TEG6s. The results were compared pre- and postprocedural. The primary outcome was any bleeding complication according to the Bleeding Academic Research Consortium classification within 6 months. A total of 41 patients experienced bleeding events. TEG analysis showed a significant decrease in ADP aggregation and increase in ADP inhibition. In ROC-analysis, TEG ADP aggregation and inhibition and Multiplate ADP aggregation showed moderate predictive values for bleeding events. The delta-ADP-Test (Multiplate) showed the strongest prediction of bleeding (area under the curve: 0.69). Adding platelet function and TEG markers to a model of clinical bleeding risk factors improved the prediction for bleeding events. This study indicates that thrombogenicity might be affected immediately after M-TEER probably due to changes in flow conditions. In particular, platelet aggregation involving the ADP receptor pathway significantly correlated with postprocedural bleeding events. Whether these results could guide peri-interventional antithrombotic therapy and improve peri- and postprocedural outcome requires further investigation.

Sex and outcomes after stenting and endarterectomy in asymptomatic severe carotid stenosis patients

ObjectivesTo determine if sex was an effect modifier in a pooled analysis of asymptomatic patients from CREST and ACT I. Materials and MethodsWe analyzed data from 2544 patients aged <80 with ≥70 % asymptomatic carotid stenosis randomized to CAS or CEA (nCREST = 1091; nACT-1 = 1453). The pre-specified primary endpoint in both trials was any stroke, myocardial infarction or death during the peri-procedural period, or ipsilateral stroke within 4 years of randomization. The secondary endpoint was any stroke or death during the peri-procedural period, or ipsilateral stroke within 4 years of randomization. ResultsThere was no significant difference in the frequency of events for men or women between CAS and CEA for the primary or secondary endpoints. When assessing for an interaction of sex and risks between procedures, the treatment-by-sex interaction was not significant for either primary or secondary endpoints in the four-year period or the peri-procedural period. However, women had significantly fewer post-procedural events (ipsilateral stroke) with CAS than CEA (HR = 0.33, 95 % CI: 0.09–1.18) compared to men (HR = 2.09, 95 % CI: 0.78–5.61), p = 0.02 for interaction. ConclusionsIn this large, pooled analysis of asymptomatic patients comparing CAS to CEA, sex did not act as an effect modifier of treatment differences in the four-year primary stroke-MI-or-death endpoint or the secondary stroke-or-death endpoint. However, during the post-procedural period men treated with CAS were at higher risk than their female counterparts.

Minimum and early high-energy sonication protocol of MR-guided focused ultrasound thalamotomy for low-skull density ratio patients with essential tremor and Parkinson's disease.

MR-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) thalamotomy is an incisionless neurosurgical treatment for patients with medically refractory essential tremor and tremor-dominant Parkinson's disease. A low skull density ratio (SDR) < 0.40 is a known risk factor for treatment failure. The aim of this study was to identify useful sonication strategies for patients with a low SDR < 0.40 by modifying the standard sonication protocol using maximum high-energy sonication while minimizing the number of sonications. The authors retrospectively analyzed the effects of modified MRgFUS sonication on low-SDR tremor patients. All patients underwent head CT scans to calculate their SDR. The SDR threshold for MRgFUS thalamotomy was 0.35. The patients in the early series underwent the standard sonication protocol targeting the ventral intermediate nucleus contralateral to the treated hand side. The patients with a low SDR < 0.40 in the late series underwent a modified sonication protocol, in which the number of alignment sonications was minimized and high-energy treatment sonication (> 36,000 J) was used. The authors evaluated the lesion volume the following day and tremor improvement and adverse events 3 and 12 months after the procedure. The sonication patterns between low-SDR patients treated using different sonication protocols were examined using Fisher's exact test. ANOVA was used to examine the lesion volume and tremor improvement in high- and low-SDR patients treated using different sonication protocols. Among 41 patients with an SDR < 0.40, 14 underwent standard sonication and 27 underwent modified sonication. Fewer alignment sonications and high-energy treatment sonications were used in the modified sonication group compared with the standard group (p < 0.001). The duration of modified sonication was significantly shorter than that of standard sonication (p < 0.001). The lesion volume and tremor improvement significantly differed among the high- and low-SDR groups with different sonication protocols (p < 0.001). Low-SDR patients treated using modified sonication protocols had comparable lesion volume and tremor improvement to the high-SDR group. The modified sonication protocol did not significantly increase adverse intraprocedural and postprocedural events. Minimizing alignment sonications and applying high-energy sonication in early treatment help to create an optimal lesion volume and control tremor in low-SDR patients.

Establishing and developing a magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound program in a resource-limited setting: the Philippine experience.

Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is a non-invasive lesioning technique used to treat movement disorders such as essential tremor (ET), Parkinson's disease (PD), and X-linked dystonia-parkinsonism (XDP). We would like to report our experience in establishing and developing our MRgFUS program and preliminary results. Adult patients with tremor-dominant PD (TDPD), ET, and XDP were considered for initial screening (neurologic evaluation, skull density ratio [SDR] determination). Eligible patients underwent secondary screening (neurosurgical and neuropsychological evaluation, psychiatric and medical clearance). During the procedure, a neuro-anesthesiologist and neurologist were also present to monitor the patient and perform neurologic evaluation, respectively. Clinical follow-up was scheduled at 2 weeks post-treatment, then at every 3 months. A total of 30 patients underwent MRgFUS treatment: 22 TDPD, 6 XDP, and 2 ET. The mean age was 55.7 years, and majority were male (86.7%). Mean disease duration was 8.6 years. Mean SDR was 0.46. The targets for TDPD and ET were the contralateral ventral intermediate nucleus of the thalamus; for XDP, it was the pallidothalamic tract. The mean maximum temperature was 59.8oC; number of sonocations, 7.3; and treatment time, 64.6min. Majority of patients improved after the procedure. Transient intraprocedural adverse events (headache, dizziness) were reported in 20% of patients while post-procedural events (mild weakness, numbness) were seen in 16.7%. Only 26.7% of patients had follow-up data. Despite the unique challenges encountered, MRgFUS treatment is feasible in resource-limited settings. Additional steps would have to be made to develop and improve the program.

Association between preprocedural thromboembolic and bleeding events under oral anticoagulation therapy and mid-term outcomes after percutaneous left atrial appendage closure.

Currently, no consensus has been established on the most effective antithrombotic therapy to prevent thromboembolic and bleeding events in patients undergoing percutaneous left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) with preprocedural thromboembolic or bleeding events under oral anticoagulation (OAC) therapy. We retrospectively investigated the incidence of device-related thrombosis (DRT), thromboembolic events, and bleeding events in patients who underwent LAAC from September 2019 to October 2022. After categorizing patients into three groups based on preprocedural thromboembolic or bleeding events under OAC therapy, we compared the incidence of DRT and prognosis according to the postprocedural antithrombotic therapy. In patients who received the conventional antithrombotic therapy (OAC with and without single antiplatelet therapy for 45days after LAAC and dual-antiplatelet therapy from 45days to 6months followed by single antiplatelet therapy), preprocedural thromboembolic events despite OAC were independently associated with DRT or postprocedural thromboembolic events at the 3year follow-up (hazard ratio [HR] 4.55; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.32-15.6; P = 0.016), whereas preprocedural bleeding events were independently associated with postprocedural bleeding events (HR 8.01, 95% CI 1.45-58.3; P = 0.036). Continuation of OAC for 12months among patients who developed preprocedural thromboembolic events during OAC significantly decreased the incidence of DRT or postoperative thromboembolic events (P = 0.002) with no increase in the bleeding events (P = 0.522). Preprocedural thromboembolic and bleeding events can predict adverse events after LAAC with the conventional antiplatelet-based antithrombotic therapy. Patients who develop thromboembolic events under continuous OAC may benefit from continuous OAC for 1year after LAAC.

The impact of venous thromboembolism before open or minimally-invasive radical cystectomy in the USA: insurance claims data on perioperative outcomes and healthcare costs.

The relationship between venous thromboembolism (VTE) and solid malignancy has been established over the decades. With rising projected rates of bladder cancer (BCa) worldwide as well as increasing number of patients experiencing BCa and VTE, our aim is to assess the impact of a preoperative VTE diagnosis on perioperative outcomes and health-care costs in BCa cases undergoing radical cystectomy (RC). Patients ≥18 years of age with BCa diagnosis and undergoing open or minimally invasive (MIS) RC were identified in the Merative™ Marketscan® Research Databases between 2007 and 2021. The association of previous VTE history with 90-day complication rates, postoperative VTE events, rehospitalization, and total hospital costs (2021 USA dollars) was determined by multivariable logistic regression modeling adjusted for patient and perioperative confounders. Sensitivity analysis on VTE degree of severity (i.e., pulmonary embolism [PE] and/or peripheral deep venous thrombosis [DVT]) was also examined. Out of 8759 RC procedures, 743 (8.48%) had a previous positive history for any VTE including 245 (32.97%) PE, 339 (45.63%) DVT and 159 (21.40%) superficial VTE. Overall, history of VTE before RC was strongly associated with almost any worse postoperative outcomes including higher risk for any and apparatus-specific 90-days postoperative complications (odds ratio [OR]: 1.21, 95% CI, 1.02-1.44). Subsequent incidence of new VTE events (OR: 7.02, 95% CI: 5.93-8.31), rehospitalization (OR: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.06-1.48), other than home/self-care discharge status (OR: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.28-1.82), and higher health-care costs related to the RC procedure (OR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.22-1.68) were significantly associated with a history of VTE. Preoperative VTE in patients undergoing RC significantly increases morbidity, post-procedure VTE events, hospital length of stay, rehospitalizations, and increased hospital costs. These findings may help during the BCa counseling on risks of surgery and hopefully improve our ability to mitigate such risks.

Predicting Outcomes Following Lower Extremity Endovascular Revascularization Using Machine Learning.

Lower extremity endovascular revascularization for peripheral artery disease carries nonnegligible perioperative risks; however, outcome prediction tools remain limited. Using machine learning, we developed automated algorithms that predict 30-day outcomes following lower extremity endovascular revascularization. The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program targeted vascular database was used to identify patients who underwent lower extremity endovascular revascularization (angioplasty, stent, or atherectomy) for peripheral artery disease between 2011 and 2021. Input features included 38 preoperative demographic/clinical variables. The primary outcome was 30-day postprocedural major adverse limb event (composite of major reintervention, untreated loss of patency, or major amputation) or death. Data were split into training (70%) and test (30%) sets. Using 10-fold cross-validation, 6 machine learning models were trained using preoperative features. The primary model evaluation metric was area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Overall, 21 886 patients were included, and 30-day major adverse limb event/death occurred in 1964 (9.0%) individuals. The best performing model for predicting 30-day major adverse limb event/death was extreme gradient boosting, achieving an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.93 (95% CI, 0.92-0.94). In comparison, logistic regression had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.72 (95% CI, 0.70-0.74). The calibration plot showed good agreement between predicted and observed event probabilities with a Brier score of 0.09. The top 3 predictive features in our algorithm were (1) chronic limb-threatening ischemia, (2) tibial intervention, and (3) congestive heart failure. Our machine learning models accurately predict 30-day outcomes following lower extremity endovascular revascularization using preoperative data with good discrimination and calibration. Prospective validation is warranted to assess for generalizability and external validity.

OR12-6 | Effects of Artificial Intelligence Clinical Decision Support Tools (Terumo Health Outcomes, ePRISM) on Post-Procedure Bleeding Events in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI)

OR12-6 | Effects of Artificial Intelligence Clinical Decision Support Tools (Terumo Health Outcomes, ePRISM) on Post-Procedure Bleeding Events in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI)

Safety and Effectiveness of Track Cauterization for Lung Cryoablation

PurposeTo evaluate the safety and effectiveness of track cauterization for lung cryoablation through comparison of postprocedural adverse event (AE) rates. Materials and MethodsFifty-nine patients who underwent 164 percutaneous lung cryoablation procedures between 2013 and 2018 were included in this retrospective study. The study cohort was subdivided by whether track cauterization was conducted or not at the end of the procedure. The study cohort was also subdivided by the number of probes (1–2 probes vs 3–4 probes). Postablation AE rates were assessed by immediate and delayed (at 1 month or later) AEs, pneumothorax, hemothorax, pleural effusion, and whether intervention was required. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to compare differences in AE rates. ResultsPatients who underwent procedures with track cautery were 2.6 times less likely to exhibit pleural effusion (P = .017). Patients who underwent procedures conducted with a higher number of probes were 3.8 times more likely to receive interventions (P < .001), 1.6 times more likely to experience pneumothorax (P = .037), and 2.1 times more likely to experience pleural effusion (P = .003). History of lung surgery, increased number of probes, size of the probe, and absence of track cautery were noted to be significant predictors of AEs and need for interventions (all P < .05). ConclusionsTrack cauterization in lung cryoablation was proven to reduce pleural effusion, but no difference in pneumothorax or delayed AEs was noted. The use of fewer probes was associated with a lower rate of AEs.

Propofol Sedation in Pediatric Upper Endoscopy: A Study of Pharmacodynamics and the Effects of Gastroenterologists, Anesthesiologists, and Supervised Participants on the Procedure Time and Sedation Time.

Background and aims Propofol combined with fentanyl is a commonly used sedative for pediatric upper endoscopies (UEs). The primary aim was to study the association betweenpropofol dose and procedure and sedation time. The secondary aims were to assess the pharmacodynamics of propofol use with fentanyland evaluate if gastroenterologists' and anesthesiologists' years of experience or the presence of supervised participants (such as students, residents, and fellows) have any influence on the procedure and sedation time. Methods A retrospective study was performed at the Children's Hospital of Michigan on patients under 18 years who underwent UEs with propofol sedation with fentanyl over a two-year period. Results A correlation was found between the propofol amount used expressed per body mass index(BMI)/body surface area (BSA), procedure time, and sedation time (p < 0.0001). Throat pain was the most common post-procedural adverse event (4.48%). The impact of psychoactive drugs on these events was not statistically significant, but attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication use was related to increased post-procedural pain complaints. The use of prescribed psychoactive medications was associated with larger propofol dose usage (p = 0.007) without a significant increase in sedation time. Individual gastroenterologists, their years of experience, and the presence of supervised participants were associated with different procedure times (p <0.0001, <0.0001, 0.01). Fellow participation was associated with a 1.11-minute procedure time increase (p = 0.04). Individual anesthesiologists, their years of experience, and the presence of supervised participants were associated with different sedation times (p <0.0001, <0.0001, 0.01). Conclusion We found a novel correlation between propofol dosing expressed by the BMI/BSA and sedation time. The UE procedure time and sedation time are associated with individual gastroenterologists and anesthesiologists, their years of experience, and the presence of supervised participants.

Insulated tip/needle-knife endoscopic stricturotomy is safe and effective for treatment of non-traversable anorectal strictures.

Background and study aims The treatment of anorectal strictures is particularly challenging and historically focused on surgical resection and/or diversion. There are a number of endoscopic options, but repeat interventions are common. The use of the needle knife stricturotomy technique as an alternative to surgery in the treatment of a variety of strictures has been described, but its use for the treatment of severe anorectal and anopouch strictures has not been studied. Patients and methods Our Inflammatory Bowel Disease department's records were queried to identify patients with endoscopic non-traversable anorectal/anopouch strictures. Consecutive patients that underwent insulated tip/needle-knife endoscopic stricturotomy treatment were included. Primary outcome was immediate traversability of the treated stricture by the endoscope. Other outcomes included need for reintervention, 30-day post-procedure events, and follow-up period events. Results All strictures were immediately successfully traversed following endoscopic stricturotomy treatment. The mean time to endoscopic reintervention was 5.3 months, with the majority of these patients undergoing repeat stricturotomy. Over a mean follow-up period of 12.8 months, two patients (8%) required surgical intervention (resection with coloanal anastomosis with a colostomy and complete proctectomy) for refractory stricture disease following initial endoscopic stricturotomy. Seven patients (29%) in our study have not required any further reintervention throughout the study period. There were no 30-day post-procedure adverse events and no adverse post-procedure events. Conclusions Endoscopic stricturotomy is safe and effective in treating severe anorectal/anopouch strictures.

Optimal antithrombotic strategy following valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic and mitral valve replacement.

The treatment of aortic and mitral valve disease requiring replacement has shifted to an increasing use of bioprosthetic heart valves. Due to their limited durability, there is a growing need for reintervention in the setting of failing bioprosthesis. Even though the gold standard for the treatment of failed bioprosthesis remains surgical repair or replacement, valve-in-valve (ViV) transcatheter aortic and mitral valve replacement have emerged as safe and effective alternatives for patients who are at high or prohibitive risk for surgery. Both procedures are associated with a substantial risk of postprocedural thromboembolic events and valvular thrombosis that is often higher than transcatheter replacement of native valves. With guidelines lacking specific protocols and a limited number of available studies, the optimal postprocedural antithrombotic therapy remains to be clarified. Multiple factors including valvular hemodynamics, the characteristics of the failing surgical valve, and the choice of the new transcatheter heart valve (THV) must be considered. Additionally, patients are often at an advanced age with multiple comorbidities and may require oral anticoagulation (OAC) due to other indications such as atrial fibrillation. Although the recommended antithrombotic strategy for native transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is antiplatelet monotherapy with aspirin or a P2Y12 inhibitor in the absence of another anticoagulation indication, the use of oral anticoagulants including vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) and direct thrombin inhibitors has been shown to be effective in reducing valvular thrombosis and are commonly used after ViV procedures. Prospective studies investigating these results specifically for ViV transcatheter aortic and mitral valve replacement are needed to identify the optimal antithrombotic therapy.

Findings of Angiography and Carotid Vessel Wall Imaging Associated with Post-Procedural Clinical Events after Carotid Artery Stenting.

Vessel wall imaging (VWI) for carotid plaque is better for detecting unstable carotid plaque such as intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH), lipid-rich necrotic core (LRNC), and thin/ruptured fibrous cap. However, the role of VWI before carotid artery stenting (CAS) is unclear. Thus, this study aimed to determine the findings of symptomatic carotid stenosis before CAS on angiography and carotid VWI and to evaluate the imaging findings associated with post-procedural clinical events after CAS. This retrospective study included 173 consecutive patients who underwent carotid VWI, CAS, and post-procedural diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) after CAS. Findings of unstable plaque on carotid VWI and unstable findings on angiography were analyzed. We also analyzed the incidence of post-procedural clinical events, any stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), and death within 30 days of CAS. Of 173 patients, 101 (58.4%) had initial ischemic symptoms and positive findings on DWI. Symptomatic patients were significantly higher in patients with IPH than in patients without IPH (62.4% vs. 45.8%, P=0.031). Degree of stenosis, thrombus of the stenotic lesion, flow delay of internal carotid artery, and flow arrest by filter thrombus had significantly higher prevalence in the symptomatic group. Twenty patients (11.6%) had post-procedural clinical events such as any stroke, clinical symptoms, and/or MI. Hyperlipidemia and intraluminal thrombus on angiography were identified as significant factors influencing post-procedural events after CAS. An intraluminal thrombus on angiography was identified as a significant factor influencing post-procedural clinical events after CAS.

Is it a complication or a consequence - a new perspective on adverse outcomes in Interventional Radiology

The aim of the article is to introduce a new term in post-procedural events related to the procedure itself. All the Societies and Councils report these events as complications and they are divided in mild, moderate and severe or immediate and delayed.On the other hand the term error is known as the application of a wrong plan, or strategy to achieve a goal.For the first time, we are trying to introduce the term “consequence”; assuming that the procedure is the only available and the best fit to clinical indication, a consequence should be seen as an expected and unavoidable occurrence of an “adverse event” despite correct technical execution.