Interventional Cardiology

Intravascular optical coherence tomography (IVOCT) is a form of intra-coronary imaging that uses near-infrared light to generate high-resolution, cross-sectional, and 3D volumetric images of the vessel. Given its high spatial resolution, IVOCT is well-placed to characterise coronary plaques and aid with decision-making during percutaneous coronary intervention. IVOCT requires significant interpretation skills, which themselves require extensive education and training for effective utilisation, and this would appear to be the biggest barrier to its widespread adoption...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Aorto-ostial lesions, especially in the right coronary artery, may be challenging due to their morphological and anatomical features, more so when there is a previous stent which may be protruding. Little is known about the long-term safety of protruding stents and results of re-intervention. Presented here is a case of restenosis of a markedly protruding stent at the right coronary ostium. This case was unusual in its 10-year longevity. Intravascular ultrasound-guided in-stent restenosis intervention using wire bumper technique was performed...

Percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion aims to reduce the risk of stroke in patients with AF, particularly those who are not good candidates for systemic anticoagulation. The procedure has been studied in large international randomised trials and registries and was approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in 2014 and by NHS England in 2018. This position statement summarises the evidence for left atrial appendage occlusion and presents the current indications. The options and consensus on best practice for pre-procedure planning, undertaking a safe and effective implant and appropriate post-procedure management and follow-up are described...

Optimised implantation depth (OID) is crucial to obtain the best haemodynamic and clinical outcome during transcatheter heart valve (THV) deployment. OID ensures a better haemodynamic profile and is associated with a potential reduction in permanent pacemaker implantations, both of which are important during transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Apart from patient-related anatomic conditions, many factors, such as THV and wire selection, as well as implantation strategies, can be controlled by the operator and facilitate the implantation process...

Background : Coronary vessels in women may have anatomical and histological particularities. The aim of this study was to investigate sex-specific characteristics and outcomes of patients with calcified coronary arteries in the Prepare-CALC (Comparison of Strategies to Prepare Severely Calcified Coronary Lesions) trial. Methods : The Prepare-CALC trial randomised patients with severe coronary calcification to coronary lesion preparation either using modified balloons (MB; cutting or scoring) or rotational atherectomy (RA)...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Percutaneous coronary intervention with stent implantation is an integral aspect of minimally interventional cardiac procedures. The technology and techniques behind stent design and implantation have evolved rapidly over several decades. However, continued discourse remains around optimal peri- and post-interventional management with dual antiplatelet therapy to minimise both major cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events and iatrogenic bleeding risk. Standard guidelines around dual antiplatelet therapy historically recommended long-term dual antiplatelet therapy for 12 months (with consideration for >12 months in certain patients); however, emerging data and generational improvements in the safety of drug-eluting stents have ushered in a new era of short-term therapy to reduce the incidence of major bleeding events...

BACKGROUND: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is associated with very poor clinical outcomes. An optimal pathway of care is yet to be defined, but prognostication is likely to assist in the challenging decision-making required for treatment of this high-risk patient cohort. The MIRACLE2 score provides a simple method of neuro-prognostication but as yet it has not been externally validated. The aim of this study was therefore to retrospectively apply the score to a cohort of OHCA patients to assess the predictive ability and accuracy in the identification of neurological outcome...

Despite remarkable improvements in the past two decades, the annual cardiovascular mortality rate has remained higher for women than for men. Pregnant women represent an underinvestigated population in clinical research, and the mechanisms of long-term cardiovascular complications in women with obstetric complications remain to be elucidated. Regarding advanced heart failure during pregnancy, interventional approaches are effective but still underutilised. Percutaneous mechanical circulatory support is a valuable option for peripartum cardiogenic shock, although its use during pregnancy is still limited...

Since the first robotic-assisted percutaneous coronary intervention procedure (R-PCI) was performed in 2004, there has been a steady evolution in robotic technology, combined with a growth in the number of robotic installations worldwide and operator experience. This review summarises the latest developments in R-PCI with a focus on developments in robotic technology, procedural complexity, tele-stenting and training methods, which have all contributed to the global expansion in R-PCI.

Guide-catheter-induced ostial coronary artery dissection is a feared complication of percutaneous coronary intervention, but thankfully the incidence is low. We describe a case of catheter-induced ostial dissection of the left internal mammary artery (LIMA) with multiple radial jump grafts during percutaneous coronary intervention of radial graft bifurcation disease via the LIMA. The dissection led to loss of flow and profound haemodynamic compromise and cardiac arrest as the LIMA supplied the majority of the myocardium in this patient...

The role of coronary CT angiography for the diagnosis and risk stratification of coronary artery disease is well established. However, its potential beyond the diagnostic phase remains to be determined. The current review focuses on the insights that coronary CT angiography can provide when planning and performing percutaneous coronary interventions. We describe a novel approach incorporating anatomical and functional pre-procedural planning enhanced by artificial intelligence, computational physiology and online 3D CT guidance for percutaneous coronary interventions...

Coronary artery fistula (CAF), although one of the rare coronary anomalies, is becoming increasingly more detectable in the recent years due to advancements in cardiac diagnostic imaging. Its long-term prognostic implications and importance for the cardiovascular system remain a dilemma for cardiologists and patients. Based on a variety of haemodynamic symptoms and complications, cardiologists must be aware of the characteristics of CAF and the diagnostic importance of multi-slice CT in evaluation, pre-procedural management and follow-up...

Coronary artery disease is a leading cause of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Coronary artery bypass grafting appears to provide clinical benefits such as improvements in quality of life, reductions in readmissions and MI, and favourable effects on long-term mortality; however, there is a significant short-term procedural risk when left ventricular function is severely impaired, which poses a conundrum for many patients. Could percutaneous coronary intervention provide the same benefits without the hazard of surgery? There have been no randomised studies to support this practice until recently...

BACKGROUND: Angiographic and procedural characteristics stratified by frailty status are not known in older patients with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTEACS). We evaluated angiographic and procedural characteristics in older adults with NSTEACS by frailty category, as well as associations of baseline and residual SYNTAX scores with long-term outcomes. METHODS: In this study, 271 NSTEACS patients aged ≥75 years underwent coronary angiography...

AF is a highly prevalent disease, often requiring long-term oral anticoagulation to prevent stroke or systemic embolism. Coronary artery disease, which is common among AF patients, is often referred for myocardial revascularisation by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), which requires dual antiplatelet therapy to minimise the risk of stent-related complications. The overlap of AF and PCI is a clinical conundrum, especially in the early post-procedural period, when both long-term oral anticoagulation and dual antiplatelet therapy are theoretically indicated as a triple antithrombotic therapy...

Growing evidence demonstrates the suitability of renal denervation in a broad population of patients; however, questions remain over its suitability and practical implementation. Given the rapidity of emerging data, this has been a challenging field for potential adopters to navigate. The purpose of this article is twofold: to provide navigation through emerging clinical data and evolving guidance; and to provide physicians with practical, evidence-based advice for identifying eligible patients and providing appropriate management in the pre- and postintervention settings...

The landscape of interventional cardiology is ever evolving. Contemporary practice has shifted from a stenosis-centred approach to the total characterisation of both the epicardial and microcirculatory vessels. Microcirculatory dysfunction plays an important role in the pathophysiology of acute and chronic coronary syndromes, and characterisation of the microcirculation has important clinical consequences. Accordingly, the invasive diagnosis of microcirculatory dysfunction is becoming a key feature of the interventional cardiologist's toolkit...

BACKGROUND: Data on outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in the Middle East, particularly in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), are limited. Whether centres with a low volume of patients requiring the procedure can achieve similar outcomes as those reported in pivotal clinical trials remains unclear. This study evaluates procedural outcomes of patients undergoing TAVR in a newly established programme in the UAE. METHODS: Procedural outcomes of consecutive patients who underwent transfemoral TAVR at a single centre in the UAE between January 2016 and November 2021 were compared with those at centres in the lowest quartile (Q1) of procedural volume in the Transcatheter Valve Therapy Registry, which covers centres in the US...