Impact of the introduction of drug eluting stents on clinical outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous and surgical coronary artery revascularisation procedures in Western Australia.

Background: Increasing rates of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and decreasing rates of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery followed the introduction of drug eluting stents in Western Australia in 2002. We assessed the impact of these changes on one-year outcomes for the total population of patients undergoing coronary artery revascularisation procedures (CARP) in Western Australia between 2000-2004.

Methods: Clinical and linked administrative data (inpatient admissions and death) were merged for all patients who had their first CARP with stent or CABG in Western Australia between 2000-2004.

Complex coronary sinus fistula in a 58-year-old female.

Coronary artery aneurysms and arterio-venous fistulae are uncommon malformations. We report the case of a 58-year-old woman with a large aneurysmal fistula arising from the left coronary tree and involving the entire coronary sinus venous system, resulting in significant left-to-right shunt. We discuss the management of aneurysmal fistulae of the coronary arteries, and the merits of prophylaxis for thrombotic complications of large aneurysms.

Obstruction of the right coronary artery ostium by an aortic valve papillary fibroelastoma.

Aortic valve papillary fibroelastomas are rare benign tumours which may present with the sequele of embolisation, coronary occlusion or sudden death. We report a case of a 68 year old lady presenting with unstable angina who appeared at coronary angiography to have thrombus in the right coronary ostium. Increasing right territory ischaemia prompted echocardiography, which diagnosed a mass in the right coronary ostium.