Coronary Stenting in High Bleeding Risk Patients With Small Coronary Arteries Followed by One-Month Dual Antiplatelet Therapy: Onyx ONE Clear.

Background: Small reference vessel diameters (RVDs) are a predictor of ischemic events after coronary stenting. Among patients at high bleeding risk (HBR) precluding long-term dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT), those with small vessel disease (SVD) constitute an especially high-risk subgroup. Here, we evaluated the results of a durable-polymer, coronary zotarolimus-eluting stent (ZES) for the treatment of patients with SVD at HBR with 1-month DAPT.

Albumin Is Predictive of 1-Year Mortality After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Background: A validated model for predicting 1-year outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) does not exist. TAVR-specific risk models may benefit from frailty markers, and sarcopenia may represent an objective frailty marker. This study assessed the predictive ability of sarcopenia and frailty markers on 1-year mortality after TAVR.

Description of a Method to Obtain Complete One-Year Follow-Up in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons/American College of Cardiology Transcatheter Valve Therapy Registry.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services National Coverage Determination requires centers performing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) to report clinical outcomes up to 1 year. Many sites encounter challenges in obtaining complete 1-year follow-up. We report our process to address this challenge.

Balloon aortic valvuloplasty to improve candidacy of patients evaluated for transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Objectives: Evaluate the role of balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) in improving candidacy of patients for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Background: Patients who are not candidates for TAVR may undergo BAV to improve functional and clinical status.

Methods: 117 inoperable or high-risk patients with critical aortic stenosis underwent BAV as a bridge-to-decision for TAVR.

Long-term fate of patients discharged to extended care facilities after cardiovascular surgery.

Background: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons predictive algorithms can be used to help patients understand the risks in having a surgical procedure. However, elderly patients are frequently more concerned about the quality of their remaining life and whether they will return home. Currently, we have no predictors of which patients are likely to return to independent living after surgery.

Long-term monitoring after surgical ablation for atrial fibrillation: how much is enough?

Introduction: Evaluating and comparing the success of surgical ablation techniques in the treatment of atrial fibrillation is complicated by clinicians' use of varying techniques to measure the burden of atrial fibrillation after ablation. Intuitively, one would expect longer monitoring to be more accurate, picking up atrial fibrillation events occurring at a low rate, but how long is long enough? This study compared rates of normal sinus rhythm recorded after atrial fibrillation ablation in a cohort of patients monitored for a range of durations.

Methods: Two hundred fifty-four patients (50.

Totally thorascopic surgical ablation of persistent AF and long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation using the "Dallas" lesion set.

Minimally invasive surgery consisting of bipolar radiofrequency pulmonary vein (PV) isolation and limited ganglionated plexus ablation is effective in eliminating atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with paroxysmal AF but is less effective in those with persistent AF or long-standing persistent AF. The purpose of this study was examine the results of minimally invasive surgery incorporating an additional set of radiofrequency ablation lines replicating a left-sided Cox maze III procedure. Thirty patients with persistent AF (n = 10) or long-standing persistent AF (n = 20) underwent minimally invasive surgery with an extended lesion set and PV isolation for a minimum follow-up of 6 months.