Transcatheter valve-in-ring implantation of a repositionable valve system for treatment of severe mitral regurgitation.

Introduction: Years after mitral valve surgery, progressive degeneration of reconstructed mitral valves or bioprostheses might lead to severe mitral valve regurgitation. Patients with significant comorbidity, or impaired left ventricular function are poor candidates for redo surgery at an acceptable risk at that later time point.

Methods And Results: This study reports the first-in-man transapical valve-in-ring implantations in the mitral position of the fully repositionable Lotus valve system approved for transcatheter aortic valve replacement in Europe.

Use of a balloon-expandable transfemoral sheath in a TAVI cohort with complex access site - a propensity score matched analysis.

Aims: In patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), the high prevalence of peripheral artery disease (PAD) limits femoral access and increases vascular complications that are associated with mortality and morbidity. Our study assessed the ability of a balloon-expandable large-bore vascular sheath to increase access-site availability and to reduce vascular complications.

Methods And Results: Among 257 patients from two centres, 43 patients underwent transfemoral TAVI with the use of the SoloPath balloon-expandable sheath due to complex iliofemoral access anatomy.

Oxachelin, a novel iron chelator and antifungal agent from Streptomyces sp. GW9/1258.

During a screening campaign for new antimicrobial and antifungal secondary metabolites from several thousand actinomycetes, a novel compound, isolated by activity guided fractionation, was oxachelin (1) from the new Streptomyces sp. GW9/1258. Oxachelin shows strong antibiotic activities against several fungi and Gram(+) bacteria.