Non-compliant balloons for final kissing inflation in coronary bifurcation lesions treated with provisional side branch stenting: a pilot study.

Aims: To assess the procedural and long-term results of non-compliant (NC) kissing balloon inflation (KB) in patients undergoing bifurcation intervention with the provisional side branch (SB) stenting technique. Provisional SB stenting is the default strategy for coronary bifurcation intervention. Recent data have suggested that KB with compliant balloons increases the risk of SB dissection and restenosis.

One-year follow-up of nonrandomized comparison between coronary artery bypass grafting surgery and drug-eluting stent for the treatment of unprotected left main coronary artery disease in elderly patients (aged >or=75 years).

Purpose: The present observational study compares in-hospital and 12-month clinical outcomes in elderly patients with unprotected left main coronary artery disease treated either with coronary artery bypass grafting or drug-eluting stent.

Methods: From January 2004 to December 2007, 211 patients (pts) with unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA) stenosis, aged 75 or older, underwent coronary revascularization either with coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) (106 pts) or drug-eluting stent (DES) (105 pts). The decision to treat with CABG or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was dependent on the patient's and the physician's choice.

Assessment of proximal isovelocity surface area (PISA) shape using three-dimensional echocardiography in a paediatric population with mitral regurgitation or ventricular shunt.

Background: The proximal isovelocity surface area (PISA) method is validated to quantify mitral regurgitation (MR) and ventricular shunt (VS). However, the two-dimensional echocardiography (2DE) PISA method assumes a hemispherical distribution of velocity factors proximal to the MR or VS orifice.

Aim: To assess the PISA shape by three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) in a paediatric population with MR or VS.