Proximal Left Anterior Descending Research Articles

Prognostic significance of coexistent coronary artery disease in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation for aortic stenosis

Abstract Background The optimal management of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) for aortic stenosis (AS) is uncertain. As TAVI expands into lower risk cohorts with longer life expectancies there is increasing need to determine the prognostic significance of coexistent CAD and identify which lesions may benefit from revascularisation. Purpose To evaluate the prognostic significance of coexistent CAD in patients with AS undergoing TAVI stratified according to myocardial territories at risk. Methods Using a retrospective, single-centre, observational registry, patients undergoing TAVI for severe AS between 2015 and 2020 were included. CAD was angiographically determined using computed tomography or invasive coronary angiography. CAD was stratified into 1) low-risk: <70% stenosis in all major epicardial coronary arteries or <50% in the left main (LM); 2) intermediate-risk: ≥70% stenosis in one or two arteries, except the proximal left anterior descending (LAD) and LM; 3) high-risk: ≥70% stenosis in the proximal LAD, ≥70% stenosis in 3 arteries or LM stenosis ≥50%. Patients with previous CABG were categorised as high-risk if: ≥70% stenosis of 3 coronary grafts or graft supplying a proximally stenosed LAD; and intermediate-risk if: ≥70% stenosis of 1 or 2 non-LAD grafts. Baseline characteristics and procedural outcomes were compared between the 3 cohorts, with the impact of CAD on outcomes evaluated after adjustment for demographics and comorbidities. Results 1805 patients were included; median age 84 (79-88), 51% male sex, median logistic Euroscore 13 (8-21). 1281 (71%), 384 (21%) and 140 (8%) patients were characterised as low-, intermediate- and high-risk coronary anatomy respectively. High risk patients were older than the other groups, however, did not have the highest prevalence of comorbidities (Table 1). Other than pacemaker implantation (9% vs 12% vs 6%, p=0.04), there were no differences in procedural complications or in-hospital mortality between groups (Table 1). At a median follow-up of 3.5 (2.3-4.8) years, 920 patients (51%) died, 292 (16%) had hospitalisation for heart failure (HHF) and 565 patients (31%) had a major adverse coronary event (MACE); defined as either myocardial infarction, HHF or cardiovascular death. Coronary anatomical stratification was associated with MACE (Log rank p<0.001) (Figure 1). After multivariate adjustment, high-risk anatomy was associated with all-cause mortality (hazard ratio (HR): 1.34, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06-1.68, p=0.013), HHF (HR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.01-2.21, p=0.046) and MACE (HR: 1.68, 95% CI: 1.27-2.21, p<0.001). Conclusions Whilst the presence of CAD does not impact TAVI procedural safety, untreated high-risk coronary anatomy is associated with future adverse events and may warrant intensive medical therapy and/or revascularisation.

DISCONTINUING DAPT: NOT JUST A MATTER OF SCORES BUT OF INTEGRATED EVALUATION? A KEY ROLE OF IMAGING IN A COMPLEX SCENARIO

Abstract The duration of the dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is a widely debated topic within the scientific community. The latest guidelines on acute coronary syndromes have supported the possibility of different therapeutic approaches tailored to patient characteristics. However, the clinical cardiologist‘s decisions are not always based on certain principles. The following case report is a practical example. Discussion: A 31–years–old man came to our attention after a resuscitated cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation during a motorcycle race. His history was characterized by a previous acute myocardial infarction at the age of thirteen due to a traumatic dissection of the proximal left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery and ascending aorta treated conservatively, with residual transmural necrosis of the mid and subendocardial anterior wall on cardiac MRI. At the admission, ECG showed ST–segment elevation in the anterior leads. Coronary angiography revealed occlusion of the proximal LAD coronary artery, treated with drug–eluting stent (ONYX 5.0 mm), with evidence of dissection and aneurysmal wall of that segment. The patient started a DAPT with aspirin and prasugrel. At discharge, echocardiogram evidenced a moderate left ventricular dysfunction (ejection fraction 34%) with signs of anterior and apical necrosis. Later, the patient was admitted for a subcutaneous defibrillator implantation, due to persistent moderate ventricular dysfunction. One year after revascularization, a lifelong DAPT strategy with downgrading to clopidogrel was considered the best choice for the following considerations: the young age of the patient, the low bleeding risk (PRECISE DAPT score 8), a not elevated DAPT score (value 2), the revascularization in the aneurysmal segment without an appropriate stent apposition (due to absence of a right sizing) and the previous dissection with sign of partial thrombosis at coronary CT. Conclusions: The anatomical complexity of angioplasty procedures and the delicate balance between ischemic and thrombotic risks have led to continuously evolving therapeutic strategies. The clinical scores currently available cannot often account for complex coronary anatomy. Thus, it‘s essential to consider a personalized approach, individualized on clinical and imaging characteristics, that encompasses ischemic and bleeding risk and procedural data for the appropriate treatment for each patient.

Design of experiment approach to identify the dominant geometrical feature of left coronary artery influencing atherosclerosis

Background and Objective. Coronary artery geometry heavily influences local hemodynamics, potentially leading to atherosclerosis. Consequently, the unique geometrical configuration of an individual by birth can be associated with future risk of atherosclerosis. Although current researches focus on exploring the relationship between local hemodynamics and coronary artery geometry, this study aims to identify the order of influence of the geometrical features through systematic experiments, which can reveal the dominant geometrical feature for future risk assessment. Methods. According to Taguchi’s method of design of experiment (DoE), the left main stem (LMS) length (l LMS), curvature (k LMS), diameter (d LMS) and the bifurcation angle between left anterior descending (LAD) and left circumflex (LCx) artery (α LAD-LCx) of two reconstructed patient-specific left coronary arteries (LCA) were varied in three levels to create L9 orthogonal array. Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations with physiological boundary conditions were performed on the resulting eighteen LCA models. Average helicity intensity (h 2) and relative atheroprone area (RAA) of near-wall hemodynamic descriptors were analyzed. Results. The proximal LAD (LAD proximal) was identified to be the most atheroprone region of the left coronary artery due to higher h 2, large RAA of time averaged wall shear stress (TAWSS < 0.4 Pa), oscillatory shear index (OSI ∼ 0.5) and relative residence time (RRT > 4.17 Pa−1). In both patient-specific cases, based on h 2 and TAWSS, d lms is the dominant geometric parameter while based on OSI and RRT, α LAD-LCx is the dominant one influencing hemodynamic condition in proximal LAD (p < 0.05). Based on RRT, the rank of the geometrical factors is: α LAD-LCx > d LMS > l LMS > k LMS, indicating that α LAD-LCx is the most dominant geometrical factor affecting hemodynamics at proximal LAD which may influence atherosclerosis. Conclusion. The proposed identification of the rank of geometrical features of LCA and the dominant feature may assist clinicians in predicting the possibility of atherosclerosis, of an individual, long before it will occur. This study can further be translated to be used to rank the influence of several arterial geometrical features at different arterial locations to explore detailed relationships between the arterial geometrical features and local hemodynamics.

OUTCOMES OF ROTATIONAL ATHERECTOMY IN CALCIFIED PROXIMAL LEFT ANTERIOR DESCENDING (LAD) LESIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF TRIPLE VESSEL DISEASE

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has become more complex with the advancement of medical devices. One such device is the rotational atherectomy (RA), which uses a rotating diamond-coated burr to modify calcified lesions. This makes it easier to deliver balloons and stents to specific lesions. However, there is a lack of literature regarding the success of RA in calcified proximal 'left anterior descending (LAD) lesions' following PCI. To address this gap, a study was conducted to evaluate the clinical outcomes of RA in calcified proximal LAD lesions in triple vessel disease (TVD). The study included 112 patients who underwent PCI using RA between February 2022 and November 2022 at Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar. Data was collected using a standard report structure, including operative and follow-up details and medical and demographic features. Retrospective data was collected using medical records and interviews with patients or doctors. The ethical committee approved the study. The participants had an average age of 68.4± 0.45 years, with 85 men (75.8%) and 40 (35.7%) with diabetes mellitus. The technical success rate was 97.6%, with 20 individuals (17.8%) experiencing significant adverse cerebral and cardiac events while hospitalized. At 1.5 years, 25 (22.3%) TVFs had occurred. Independent variables such as current smoking, chronic renal disease, history of cerebrovascular attack, left ventricle ejection fraction, and left central disease were assessed to predict TVF. Based on the results, the investigation showed that rotational atherectomy in calcified proximal LAD lesions had promising success rates.

Assessment of the Dimensions of Coronary Arteries for the Manifestation of Coronary Artery Disease.

The size of the coronary artery influences the effective outcome of therapeutic measures like coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI), and diagnosis of coronary artery disease. Patients' age, gender, BMI, anatomical variations, and increased left ventricular size all have an effect on coronary artery parameters. This study aims to compare the average size of the coronary arteries of the Pakistani population in both sexes for manifestation of coronary artery disease. For the analysis of the coronary arteries, 100 patients of both sexes, male and female, were taken. X-ray angiography was performed for two-dimensional images of coronary arteries. For diameter measurement, images were visualized on quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) in different views (caudal and cranial views). The diameters of the left main coronary artery (left main stem/LMS), left anterior descending (LAD), left circumflex (LCx), and right coronary artery (RCA) were measured on angiograms. Data about the dimensions of the coronary artery was gathered through quantitative angiography. Data analysis was done throughSPSS version 26 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). There is a notable distinction in the average diameters among the proximal LAD (3.12), mid-LAD (2.40), and distal LAD (1.29). A statistically significant difference is evident among mid-LCx, distal LCx, and proximal LCx (p-value < 0.001). Likewise, the average diameter of the distal RCA (1.89) was smaller when compared to the mid-RCA (3.19) and proximal RCA (3.78). However, there was no significant difference in the average diameter among mid-LMS, distal LMS, and proximal LMS (p-value = 0.09). The average diameter of distal RCA was smaller when compared to mid-RCA and proximal RCA. The average size of proximal LAD and proximal LCx was comparatively larger than mid- and distal LAD and LCx. The findings of current research will be beneficial for the diagnosis and management of coronary artery disease patients.

Coil migration during coronary artery fistula transcatheter embolization

Link of Video Abstract: https://youtu.be/qD-dDYr0m2U Introduction: Coronary artery fistula (CAF) transcatheter coil embolization is very effective in treating symptomatic coronary fistula and has many advantages compared to the surgical approach. Although this procedure is considerably safe, some life-threatening complications, including vessel rupture, coil migration and death, could still happen. We reported an example case of coil migration into the left anterior descending (LAD) artery during transcatheter CAF embolization. Case Description: A 61-year-old man reported recurrent episodes of typical chest pain and a history of inconclusive exercise tests. Computed tomography (CT) angiography revealed a considerable medium size complex coronary fistula from proximal LAD to main pulmonary artery (MPA), which could cause coronary steal syndrome. The patient then underwent CAF transcatheter coil embolization with 3 pushable coils. Upon delivery of the last coil, the coil suddenly migrated into proximal LAD and made the patient feel chest pain with slight ST depression on electrocardiogram (ECG) monitor lead. This coil migration was treated with a coronary stent to pin the coil into the ostial CAF and coronary vessel wall. After the procedure, the chest pain disappeared, and the ST segment on ECG resolved back to baseline. Conclusion: Coil migration is one of the potentially life-threatening complications during transcatheter CAF coil embolization. Careful preparation in choosing the closure technique, selecting coil size, determining the landing zone and using a detachable coil in high-risk CAF anatomy is mandatory to prevent this event.

Association among β2-adrenergic receptor autoantibodies and proximal left anterior descending artery lesions in patients with initial ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

β2 -adrenergic receptor autoantibody (β2 -AA) are widely present in patients with many different types of cardiovascular diseases. Proximal left anterior descending (LAD) artery lesions are associated with adverse prognostic events in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). β2 -AA is associated with the presence of proximal LAD lesions in patients with STEMI. A cohort of 153 patients with STEMI who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) was enrolled in the study. Baseline characteristics were compared between the proximal LAD group (n = 62) and the nonproximal LAD group (n = 91). Admission serum of patients was collected to detect the level of β2 -AA. Data for echocardiogram within 24 hours after PPCI and at the 6-month follow-up were recorded. The optical density values and positive rates of β2 -AA in the proximal LAD group were higher than those in the nonproximal LAD group (p < 0.05). β2 -AA positively correlated with high sensitivity C-reactive protein and peak N-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide levels in the proximal LAD group, but those were not relevant in the nonproximal LAD group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that high β2 -AA levels was independently associated with the presence of proximal LAD lesions in patients with STEMI. Furthermore, a receiver operating characteristic curve was used to show the efficiency of β2 -AA levels to detect proximal LAD lesions, and the AUC of the β2-AA OD value was 0.658 (95% confidence interval 0.568-0.749; p = 0.001). The STEMI patients with high β2 -AA levels had a greater possibility having proximal LAD lesions.

Comparison of Immediate and Long-term Outcomes of Stent vs. Grafts in Proximal LAD Lesions Complicated by TVD

Background: The management of triple-vessel disease (TVD) with proximal left anterior descending (PLAD) artery involvement remains a critical challenge in cardiology. Current guidelines advocate for both stent placement and graft surgery, yet evidence supporting the optimal approach is conflicting. Objective This study aims to compare the immediate and long-term outcomes of stent placement versus graft surgery in patients with TVD and PLAD involvement, focusing on all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). Methods: Conducted at Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, from January 2021 to December 2021, this research utilized data from the BEST and SYNTAX randomized controlled trials. The study included patients with at least one lesion causing ≥50% diameter stenosis in the PLAD. Primary outcomes included all-cause death, MI, stroke, and MACCE. Secondary outcomes encompassed cardiac death and all-cause revascularization. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics software, version 25, with significance set at a two-sided p-value of less than 0.05. Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox proportional hazards models were applied for survival analysis, stratified by SYNTAX score. Results: The study encompassed 200 patients (110 in the stent group and 90 in the graft group). Graft surgery was associated with a significantly lower incidence of the combined endpoint of all-cause mortality, MI, and stroke (p &lt; 0.05), as well as reduced rates of MACCE, cardiac death, and all-cause revascularization compared to stent placement. In patients with low SYNTAX scores (≤22), graft surgery was linked with a reduced rate of MI. For those with intermediate to high SYNTAX scores (≥22), graft surgery showed superiority in reducing all-cause death, cardiac death, MI, all-cause revascularization, and MACCE. Conclusion: Graft surgery is superior to stent placement in reducing the incidence of critical adverse events in patients with TVD and PLAD involvement over a five-year follow-up period. These findings underscore the importance of personalized, evidence-based decision-making in the management of complex coronary artery disease.

Ad Hoc Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Stable Patients With Multivessel or Unprotected Left Main Disease

BackgroundThere is very little information about the use of ad hoc percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in stable patients with multivessel (MV) disease or unprotected left main (LM) disease patients for whom a heart team approach is recommended. ObjectiveTo identify the extent of ad hoc PCI utilization for patients with multivessel disease or left main disease, and to explore the inter-hospital variation in ad hoc PCI utilization for those patients. MethodsNew York State’s cardiac registries were used to examine the use and variation in use of ad hoc PCI for MV/LM disease as a percentage of all MV/LM PCIs and revascularizations (PCIs plus coronary artery bypass graft procedures) during 2018 to 2019 in New York. ResultsAfter exclusions, 6,425 of the 8,196 stable PCI patients with MV/LM disease (78.4%) underwent ad hoc PCI, ranging from 58.7% for patients with unprotected LM disease to 85.4% for patients with 2-vessel proximal left anterior descending (PLAD) disease. Ad hoc PCIs comprised 35.1% of all revascularizations, ranging from 11.5% for patients with unprotected LM disease to 63.9% for patients with 2-vessel PLAD disease. The risk-adjusted utilization of ad hoc PCI as a percentage of all revascularizations varied widely among hospitals (eg, from 15% in the first quartile to 46% in the last quartile for 3-vessel disease). ConclusionsAd hoc PCIs occur frequently even among patients with MV/LM disease. This is particularly true among patients with 2-vessel PLAD disease. The frequency of ad hoc PCIs is lower but still high among patients with diabetes and low ejection fraction and higher in hospitals without surgery on-site (SOS). Given the magnitude of hospital- and physician-level variation in the use of ad hoc PCIs for such patients, consideration should be given to a systems approach to achieving heart team consultation and shared decision making that is consistent for SOS and non-SOS hospitals.

Diverse changes of ramus coronary artery on computed tomography derived fractional flow reserve due to ramus artery in normal coronary artery disease

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background The ramus artery contributes to the development of turbulence, which may influence computed tomography (CT) derived fractional flow reserve (FFRCT) even without coronary artery disease. The relationship between ramus-induced turbulence and FFRCT is unclear. Purpose To investigate the effect of the ramus artery on FFRCT in normal coronary arteries. Methods A total of 120 consecutive patients who underwent both CT angiography including FFRCT and invasive coronary angiography, resulting in &amp;lt; 20% coronary artery stenosis were evaluated. The patients were divided into three groups: absent-ramus (n = 72), small-ramus that could not be analysed by FFRCT (n = 18), and large-ramus that could be analysed by FFRCT (n = 30). FFRCT was measured at the proximal and distal segments of the left anterior descending (LAD), left circumflex (LCX), and ramus artery (in absent-ramus group, FFRCT was measured at just above the bifurcation between LAD and LCX) were measured. The proximal FFRCT segment (proximal LAD, yellow circle; proximal Ramus or just above the bifurcation angle, yellow square; proximal LCX, yellow triangle) was measured at the same level of each vessel and the distal segment (distal LAD, white circle; distal ramus, white square; distal LCX, white triangle) was measured at obtained by the FFRCT analysis (Figure 1). Vessel morphology (vessel length, lumen volume, plaque volume), bifurcation angle, and left ventricular mass were assessed. Results In the absent-ramus group, proximal FFRCT showed no significant difference between three vessels (LAD, 0.96 ± 0.02; MID, 0.97 ± 0.02; LCX, 0.97 ± 0.02). However, in small and large-ramus groups, proximal FFRCT was significantly higher in the ramus artery than LAD and LCX (small-ramus: LAD = 0.95 ± 0.03, Ramus = 0.97 ± 0.02, LCX = 0.95 ± 0.03; large-ramus: LAD = 0.95 ± 0.03, ramus = 0.98 ± 0.01; LCX = 0.96 ± 0.03; p &amp;lt; 0.05) (Figure 2). A large ramus was associated with a higher prevalence of a distal FFRCT ≤0.80 (odds ratio 7.0, 95% CI 1.2–40.1. p = 0.03). A proximal ramus diameter predicted distal FFRCT ≤ 0.80 (cut-off 2.1 mm, AUC 0.76, sensitivity 100%, specificity 52%, 95% CI 0.61–0.90). Conclusions The presence of a large-ramus artery may cause an FFRCT decline in normal coronary arteries.

The Comparative Assessment of Wellens' Syndrome With Proximal Left Anterior Descending Artery (LAD) Stenosis Versus Right Coronary Artery (RCA) or Circumflex Coronary Artery Stenosis and Its Prevalence: A Systematic Review.

Wellens'syndrome is well-known for its critical stenosis of the proximal left anterior descending artery (LAD) with characteristic electrocardiographic findings of biphasic or deeply inverted T waves in V2-V6 under specific diagnostic criteria. Although the syndrome is known as a high-grade LAD lesion, its sequence of events can also be seen with the right coronary artery (RCA) and the left circumflex artery (LCX). This systemic review attempts to expand on these findings while analyzing the prevalence of Wellens' syndrome with the RCA and/or the circumflex artery. This study also comparatively indicated that Wellens'syndrome is seen in RCA and circumflex arterystenoses when present; the indication of the same medical management is warranted for effective treatment and survival. We extracted and analyzed 24 case reports each with an atypical presentation of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and specific Wellens'syndrome pattern of electrocardiogram (ECG) presentation with critical stenosis in the LAD, RCA, and left circumflex artery.The risk of bias assessment was undertaken using internal risk analysis by utilizing medical libraries and certain search phrases to find research articles with the involvement of the LAD as opposed to the RCA and LCX in Wellens' syndrome. Based on the number of respective primary research articles found, a bias calculation was done on the reported respective coronary artery involvement. The finding of our systemic review confirms that Wellens'syndrome is a precordial lead disease with T wave abnormalities that presentwithcritical stenosis of not only the LAD but also the RCA and circumflex artery. The result of our systemic review affirmed that although most Wellens'syndrome cases reported involve the stenosis of the LAD, the critical occlusion of the RCA and/or the circumflex artery was found with Wellens'syndrome pattern of ECG presentation, meaning that the sequence of events is not limited to the proximal LAD.

Effect of Coronary Artery Dominance In-terms of Presentation and In-hospital Outcomes of patients undergoing Primary PCI for Culprit Proximal Left Anterior Descending Artery

Objectives: Objective of this study was to assess the difference in terms of presentation and in-hospital course between patients with right vs. left dominant arterial circulation undergoing “primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)” for culprit proximal left anterior descending artery (LAD). Methodology: We included consecutive adult (≥18 years) patients diagnosed with STE-ACS undergoing primary PCI for culprit proximal LAD. Patients were categorized into right vs. left dominant circulation on left heart catheterization. Demographic, clinical characteristics, presentation, and hospital course were compared between the matched (propensity matched) and unmatched cohort of patients with right vs. left dominance. Results: We included 775 patients, out of which 81.3% (630) were males and mean age was 54.59 ± 11.3 years. On coronary angiogram left dominance was observed in 14.3% (111). Single vessel disease was higher with left compared to right dominant system, 53.2% vs. 43.5%, respectively. The rate of slow flow/no-reflow (15.4% vs. 7.2%; p=0.0.230), heart failure (9.3% vs. 6.3%; p=0.299), and in-hospital mortality (5.1% vs. 3.6%, p=0.493) were not different between right vs. left dominance, respectively. In the matched cohorts, the frequency of slow flow/no-reflow (15.3% vs. 7.2%; p=0.056), heart failure (6.3% vs. 6.3%; p&gt;0.999), and mortality (5.4% vs. 3.6%, p=0.493) were not different between right vs. left dominance, respectively. Conclusion: No significant increase in complications and outcomes is witnessed among patients with left dominant arterial circulation undergoing primary PCI for culprit proximal LAD. However, careful handling of left main during intervention is warranted due lack of support from right system.

A canine model of chronic ischemic heart failure.

Preclinical large animal models of chronic heart failure (HF) are crucial to both understanding pathological remodeling and translating fundamental discoveries into novel therapeutics for HF. Canine models of ischemic cardiomyopathy are historically limited by either high early mortality or failure to develop chronic heart failure. Twenty-nine healthy adult dogs (30 ± 4 kg, 15/29 male) underwent thoracotomy followed by one of three types of left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery ligation procedures: group 1 (n = 4) (simple LAD: proximal and distal LAD ligation); group 2 (n = 14) (simple LAD plus lateral wall including ligation of the distal first diagonal and proximal first obtuse marginal); and group 3 (n = 11) (total LAD devascularization or TLD: simple LAD plus ligation of proximal LAD branches to both the right and left ventricles). Dogs were followed until chronic severe HF developed defined as left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 40% and NH2-terminal-prohormone B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) > 900 pmol/L. Overall early survival (48-h postligation) in 29 dogs was 83% and the survival rate at postligation 5 wk was 69%. Groups 1 and 2 had 100% and 71% early survival, respectively, yet only a 50% success rate of developing chronic HF. Group 3 had excellent survival at postligation 48 h (91%) and a 100% success in the development of chronic ischemic HF. The TLD approach, which limits full LAD and collateral flow to its perfusion bed, provides excellent early survival and reliable development of chronic ischemic HF in canine hearts.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The novel total left anterior descending devascularization (TLD) approach in a canine ischemic heart failure model limits collateral flow in the ischemic zone and provides excellent early survival and repeatable development of chronic ischemic heart failure in the canine heart. This work provides a consistent large animal model for investigating heart failure mechanisms and testing novel therapeutics.

Impact of myocardial bridging on coronary artery plaque formation and long-term mortality after heart transplantation

ObjectivesThis study aimed to explore the impact of myocardial bridging (MB) on early development of cardiac allograft vasculopathy and long-term graft survival after heart transplantation. BackgroundMB has been reported to be associated with acceleration of proximal plaque development and endothelial dysfunction in native coronary atherosclerosis. However, its clinical significance in heart transplantation remains unclear. MethodsIn 103 heart-transplant recipients, serial (baseline and 1-year post-transplant) volumetric intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) analyses were performed in the first 50 mm of the left anterior descending (LAD) artery. Standard IVUS indices were evaluated in 3 equally divided LAD segments (proximal, middle, and distal segments). MB was defined by IVUS as an echolucent muscular band lying on top of the artery. The primary endpoint was death or re-transplantation, assessed for up to 12.2 years (median follow-up: 4.7 years). ResultsIVUS identified MB in 62% of the study population. At baseline, MB patients had smaller intimal volume in the distal LAD than non-MB patients (p = 0.002). During the first year, vessel volume decreased diffusely irrespective of the presence of MB. Intimal growth diffusely distributed in non-MB patients, whereas MB patients demonstrated significantly augmented intimal formation in the proximal LAD. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed significantly lower event-free survival in patients with versus without MB (log-rank p = 0.02). In multivariate analysis, the presence of MB was independently associated with late adverse events [hazard ratio 5.1 (1.6–22.2)]. ConclusionMB appears to relate to accelerated proximal intimal growth and reduced long-term survival in heart-transplant recipients.

Heart Rate Lowering Significantly Increases Feasibility in Doppler Recording Blood Flow Velocity in Coronaries during Transthoracic Doppler Echocardiography.

Background: Coronary blood flow Doppler recording by Transthoracic Doppler in convergent mode (E-Doppler TTE) might be further improved by lowering heart rate (HRL) down to <60 bpm, since low HR < 60 b/m causes a disproportional lengthening of the diastole, so the coronaries are still for a longer time, very much improving the Doppler signal/noise ratio. Methods: A group of 26 patients underwent E-Doppler TTE before and after HR lowering in four branches of the coronary tree, namely, the left main (LMCA); left anterior descending (LAD), subdivided into three segments: proximal, mid and distal; proximal left circumflex (LCx); and obtuse marginal (OM). Color and PW coronary Doppler signal was judged by two expert observers as undetectable (SCORE 1), weak or with clutter artifacts (SCORE 2), or well delineated (SCORE 3). In addition, local accelerated stenotic flow (AsF) was measured in the LAD before and after HRL. Results: Beta-blockers significantly decreased the mean HR from 76 ± 5 to 57 ± 6 bpm (p < 0.001). Before HRL, the Doppler quality was very poor in the proximal and mid-LAD segments (median score value = 1 in both), while in the distal LAD, it was significantly better but still suboptimal (median score value = 1.5, p = 0.009 vs. proximal and mid-LAD score). After HRL, blood flow Doppler recording in the three LAD segments was strikingly improved (median score value = 3, 3 and 3, p = ns), so the effect of HRL was more efficacious in the two more proximal LAD segments. In 10 patients undergoing coronary angiography (CA), no AsF as expression of transtenotic velocity was detected at baseline. After HRL, thanks to the better quality and length of color flow, ASF was detected in five patients while in five others, it was not in perfect agreement with CA (Spearman correlation coefficient = 1, p < 0.01). The color flow in the proximal LCx and OM was extremely poor at baseline (color flow length 0 and 0, median (interquartile range) mm, respectively) and improved considerably after HRL (color flow length 23 [13.5] and 25 [12.0] mm, respectively, p < 0.001). Conclusions: HRL greatly improved the success rate of blood flow Doppler recording in coronaries, not only in the LAD, but also in the LCx. Therefore, AsF for stenosis detection and coronary flow reserve assessment can have wider clinical applications. However, further studies with larger samples are needed to confirm these results.

Postoperative results of minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass procedure in 234 patients.

Minimally invasive approach in cardiac surgery has gained popularity. In order to reduce surgical trauma in coronary surgery minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB) has already been established. This technique has been introduced for revascularisation of isolated left anterior descending (LAD). It can also be performed for hybrid revascularisation procedure in multi-vessel disease. From 2017 to 2021, 234 patients received MIDCAB operation in our heartcenter 73% were male. Most of the patients had two or three vessel disease (74%). The average age of the patients was 66 ± 12 years mean. The left internal mammary artery (LIMA) was anastomosed to the LAD through left minithoracotomy approach. Multi-vessel MIDCAB (MV-MIDCAB) including two anastomoses (T-graft to LIMA with additional saphenous vein graft) was done in 15% (n = 35). The average operation time was 2.3 ± 0.8 h mean. The 30-day mortality was 1.7% (n = 4). The average amount of packed red blood cells (pRBC) that was given intra- and postoperatively was 0.4 ± 0.8 units mean. The mean intensive care unit stay (ICU) was 1 ± 1.2 days. Three patients (1.3%) had wound infection postoperatively. The rate of neurologic complications was 0.4% (n = 1). Two patients (0.9%) had myocardial infarction and received coronary re-angiography perioperatively including stent implantation of the right coronary artery. The MIDCAB procedure is a safe and less traumatic procedure for selected patients with proximal LAD lesions. It is also an option for hybrid procedure in multi-vessel disease. The ICU stay and application of pRBC's are low. Our MIDCAB results show a good postoperative clinical outcome. However, follow-up data are necessary to evaluate long-term outcome.

Surgeon-Guided Robotic Arm Facilitates LIMA Takedown in MIDCAB Surgery.

Left internal mammary artery (LIMA) to left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery bypass has been scientifically proven to have the best patency and long-term results in myocardial revascularization. The latest guidelines suggest minimally invasive LIMA to LAD is the optimal therapy for isolated proximal LAD lesions. The start of a minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB) program can be quite challenging as robotic surgery demands high starting costs, while normal thoracoscopic techniques have a longer surgeon learning curve. In this article, we describe to the best of our knowledge the first use of surgeon-guided wristed instruments in LIMA harvesting for MIDCAB surgery. It allows for a facilitated LIMA harvest like in robotic surgery with the comfort of a surgeon constantly standing by the patient, allowing for a faster response time in case of an emergency or the need for instrument exchange. These features result in shorter operating times, lower costs compared with robotic surgery, and faster adoption of this technique for centers just starting MIDCAB surgery.

487 LEFT MAIN TRIFURCATION RESTENOSIS: A COMBINED STRATEGY FOR A COMPLEX ANATOMICAL SCENARIO

Abstract Unprotected left main trifurcations (ULMT) are highly challenging lesions for the interventionalist. There is still no evidence on the best revascularization strategy, and the risk of short-term procedural complications and long-term adverse outcomes remains high. We report the case of a 62-years-old with multiple risk factors and a high bleeding risk attributable to severe pancytopenia. Due to an episode of unstable angina, he underwent coronary angiography showing a left main stem (LM) trifurcation with critical ostial left anterior descending (LAD) stenosis, and a proximal LAD sub-occlusive lesion extending to the ostium of the first diagonal (D1) Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) consisted of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided deployment of two drug-eluting stents (DES) from LM to mid-LAD. One year later he was admitted for chest pain relapse. Coronary angiogram demonstrated critical in-stent restenosis at the proximal LAD and sub-occlusions of ostial ramus intermediate (RI) and ostial circumflex (Cx) (Figure 1). Re-do PCI consisted of multiple pre-dilations and deployment of a DES on proximal-mid LAD within the previous stent, with two sequential triple kissing inflations on LAD-RI-Cx (Figure 2). Angioplasty on RI and Cx was accomplished with two drug-coated balloons (DCBs) kissing inflation, followed by final triple kissing, with an optimal angiographic result (Figure 3). In our opinion, the combined use of DCBs and main branch stenting, further optimized by multiple triple kissing balloons, seems to be the most harmonious approach to treat such complex coronary lesions, where the use of multiple stenting strategies might be an overly cumbersome strategy, especially when an intrinsic bleeding risk makes long or powerful anti-thrombotic protocols not feasible.

Abstract 15016: Inferior ST Segment Depression Identifies Proximal Left Anterior Descending Culprit Lesions in Anterior ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Introduction: Anterior wall ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is caused by occlusion of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery. Proximal LAD occlusions are associated with larger infarcts and more complications. However, there is limited data demonstrating a relationship between ECG changes and the location of the LAD culprit lesion. Objective: To determine if patterns of ST elevations (STE)/depressions (STD) on the 12 lead ECG can predict if the culprit lesion in an anterior STEMI is in the proximal LAD. Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of ECGs obtained from a database of patients diagnosed with myocardial infarction at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital from January 2009 to December 2016. Lesions, defined as proximal or non-proximal with respect to the first diagonal of the LAD, were assigned according to the Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation (BARI) Protocol. Each lesion was assigned to one of the 4 ECG patterns described in Table 1. An analysis of variance was used to determine if the difference in ECG characteristics between groups was significant. Results: Of 447 ECGs denoted as anterior wall STEMIs, 227 met inclusion criteria. In total, 104 lesions were defined as proximal and 123 were non-proximal. There was a difference in the ECG pattern of proximal versus non-proximal culprits category (p = 0.006). Proximal culprit lesions were more likely to have STE in the precordial leads combined with STD in the inferior leads, whereas non-culprit lesions were more likely to have STE in the precordial leads without any STE or STD in the limb leads. Conclusions: In anterior STEMIs, proximal culprit lesions were more likely to exhibit ST elevations in precordial leads and ST depressions in inferior leads, compared to non-proximal culprit lesions, which were more likely to have ST elevations in only the precordial leads. Concomitant STE in lateral leads without inferior STD did not distinguish between the 2 groups.

Long Term Results of LAD Reconstruction with LIMA Patch in Patients with Multiple Significant LAD disease

Abstract Background Diffusely diseased left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery with multiple significant stenoses is commonly encountered and is a surgically challenging condition. Aim This study aimed to evaluate the long-term patency of LAD reconstruction with a left internal mammary artery (LIMA) patch in patients with multiple significant LAD stenoses. Methods We enrolled 50 patients who presented with multi-vessel disease and multiple significant LAD stenoses between January 2012 and January 2022. The LAD was opened all the way through leaving the most proximal lesion until probe 1.5 can pass smoothly through the proximal and distal LAD. Then, the LIMA was widely opened, 1.3 times the LAD opening, and they were anastomosed in the usual way with long length anastomosis. All patients were discharged on a combination of aspirin and clopidogrel for the first year and then aspirin alone for life. Postoperatively, patients were followed-up using coronary CT angiography at 5- and 10-years intervals. Results The mean age of the studied patients was 59.08±2.06, and the highest percent (72%) were males. Hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes mellitus comprised the common comorbidities (84%, 68%, and 54%, respectively). the mean ejection fraction was 49.29±3.5 and the mean EuroScore II was 1.02±0.37. The number of grafts was either 5 (8%), 4 (70%), or 3 (22%). Follow-up revealed LAD patency in all the assessed patients at 5 years (49, 98%) and 10-years (46, 92%), while we lost follow-up of 1 (2%) patient at 5 years and 4 (8%) patients at 10-years. Conclusion Reconstruction with LIMA patch was effective in maintaining long-term patency of LAD in patients with multiple significant LAD stenosis. Additional Content An author video to accompany this abstract is available on https://academic.oup.com/eurheartjsupp. Please click on the arrow next to ‘More Content’ and then click on ‘Author videos’.