Catheter-based Therapy for Massive Pulmonary Embolism in an Elderly Woman with Chest Pain and Dyspnea: Case Report.

An 80-year-old woman presented with chest pain and dyspnea. The electrocardiogram (ECG) showed a known chronic complete left bundle branch block and elevated levels of high-sensitivity cardiac Troponin T. The first diagnosis was acute coronary syndrome, but a few hours later she developed shock and syncope; after resuscitation a coronary angiography was performed but it did not show any acute coronary obstruction.

Aorto-right atrial fistula secondary to rupture of an occluded old saphenous venous graft to right coronary artery.

We report a case of an acquired aorta-right atrial fistula, secondary to a ruptured proximal anastomosis of an old saphenous vein graft 12 years after a coronary artery bypass surgery, in a 57 year old patient with multiple cardiovascular risk factors. On admission, he presented with congestive heart failure and on examination a continuous murmur was detected on the right parasternal border. Catheterization showed a fistula from the proximal anastomosis of an occluded right coronary artery saphenous vein graft draining to the right atrium with a large left to right shunt.

Early results after synchronous carotid stent placement and coronary artery bypass graft in patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis.

Background: The optimal management of patients with combined carotid and coronary artery disease requiring cardiac surgery is still unknown. Staged carotid endarterectomy and carotid artery stenting (CAS), each followed by coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), are options frequently employed. However, for patients with severe carotid artery disease in urgent need of open cardiac revascularization, staged operations may not be the most appropriate alternative.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation: safety and effectiveness of the treatment of degenerated aortic homograft.

Introduction And Objectives: Percutaneous aortic valve implantation for patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis and a high surgical risk is currently well established. We report our experience in terms of safety and effectiveness of transcatheter aortic valve implantation in other clinical context like the degenerated aortic homografts.

Methods: We report our initial experience in four hospitals and five patients with degenerated aortic homograft and severe aortic regurgitation, refused for surgery for a heart team, that underwent percutaneous implantation of CoreValve(®) aortic prosthesis.

[Cellular protection in acute myocardial infarction with ST-segment elevation].

About half of the patients with acute myocardial infarction who undergo successful fibrinolytic treatment or primary percutaneous coronary artery rechanneling continue to have abnormal microcirculatory blood flow. Various medications have been designed to protect the myocardial cell and have been investigated in human beings as coadjuvants to rechanneling procedures. Overall, they can be divided into: a) medications that act on the inflammatory response triggered by ischemia/reperfusion, such as anti-CD11/CD18 antibodies and anti-complement, and b) medications that enhance metabolic tolerance, such as glucose-insulin-potassium solution and inhibitors of the Na+/H+ ion exchange system.

A randomized trial of transfer for primary angioplasty versus on-site thrombolysis in patients with high-risk myocardial infarction: the Air Primary Angioplasty in Myocardial Infarction study.

Objectives: The Air Primary Angioplasty in Myocardial Infarction (PAMI) study was designed to determine the best reperfusion strategy for patients with high-risk acute myocardial infarction (AMI) at hospitals without percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) capability.

Background: Previous studies have suggested that high-risk patients have better outcomes with primary PTCA than with thrombolytic therapy. It is unknown whether this advantage would be lost if the patient had to be transferred for PTCA, and reperfusion was delayed.