Most accurate definition of a high femoral artery puncture: aiming to better predict retroperitoneal hematoma in percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: Retroperitoneal hematoma (RPH) increases morbidity and mortality in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). High femoral arteriotomy is an independent predictor of RPH, but the optimal angiographic criterion for defining a high puncture is unknown.

Methods: We retrospectively identified 557 consecutive PCI cases with femoral angiograms.

The stretch-compression type of coronary artery movement predicts the location of culprit lesions responsible for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarctions.

Background: Prediction of the location of culprit lesions responsible for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarctions may allow for prevention of these events by safe and easily deliverable local therapies.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of coronary movement was performed on coronary angiograms of patients who subsequently represented with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated by primary or rescue angioplasty at a single institution.

Results: Twenty patients were identified.

Insertion of a fenestrated Amplatzer atrial septostomy device for severe pulmonary hypertension.

Atrial septostomy is a palliative treatment for severe pulmonary hypertension. We report the insertion of a novel custom-made fenestrated Amplatzer atrial septostomy device following repeat atrial septostomy for severe pulmonary hypertension in a terminally ill patient with scleroderma resulting in 6 months of palliation.