Multicenter safety and efficacy analysis of assisted closure after antegrade arterial punctures using the StarClose device.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the StarClose device for closure of antegrade punctures following infrainguinal endovascular interventions.

Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of 221 consecutive patients treated with the StarClose device in a 12-month period at 5 centers (4 French and 1 British). Of these, 107 patients (69 men; median age 75 years, range 44-93) were from the UK cohort (111 closures), and 94 patients (75 men; median age 67 years, range 32-95) were from the French cohort (111 closures).

Acute myocardial infarction early viability assessment by 64-slice computed tomography immediately after coronary angiography: comparison with low-dose dobutamine echocardiography.

Objectives: Early evaluation of myocardial viability in acute myocardial infarction is useful to guide therapy. Therefore, we assessed 64-slice computed tomography (CT) immediately after coronary angiography in this setting.

Background: Recent preliminary studies have shown the promising usefulness of late hyperenhancement multislice computed tomography (MSCT) for non-viability assessment.