PFO closure with only fluoroscopic guidance: 7 years real-world single centre experience.

Aims: To evaluate the safety and the efficacy of fluoroscopy-guided only (Fluo-G) and of echocardiography-guided (Echo-G; trans-esophageal echocardiography-TEE-or intracardiac echocardiography-ICE) percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO).

Methods And Results: Single center retrospective registry enrolling 368 consecutive patients (mean age 50.5 years) who underwent PFO closure between June 2004 and December 2011.

How should I treat a left main spontaneous dissection involving left anterior descending artery, intermediate branch artery and left circumflex artery?

Background: A 45-year-old woman presented to the emergency department with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Investigation: Physical examination, electrocardiography, coronary angiography, echocardiography, cardiac computed tomography.

Diagnosis: STEMI due to spontaneous left main coronary artery dissection involving left anterior descending, intermediate and left circumflex arteries.

Renal denervation in a patient with two renal accessory arteries: a case report.

Percutaneous renal denervation has emerged as an effective adjunct in the management of resistant hypertension. However, the limits of the renal anatomical criteria that can be successfully treated are still unknown. In this report, we describe the case of a middle-aged man with essential resistant hypertension and two small left accessory renal arteries that underwent renal denervation of both principal renal arteries.

Clinical outcome and quality of life in octogenarians following transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) for symptomatic aortic stenosis.

Objective: TAVI is the alternative option in pts with AS deemed ineligible for surgery. Although mortality and morbidity are measures to assess the effectiveness of treatments, quality of life (QOL) should be an additional target. We assessed clinical outcome and QOL in octogenarians following TAVI.

Coexistence of multiple and widespread cardiovascular complications in a patient with Marfan syndrome.

Inherited connective tissue diseases such as Marfan syndrome are frequently associated with cardiovascular manifestations. Aortic involvement with dilation and dissection is the most common finding and the major cause of death in Marfan syndrome patients. We report the echocardiographic study of a 53-year-old male patient with uncommon coexistence of cardiovascular abnormalities typical of connective tissue disease at first clinical presentation in acute clinical setting: dissection of the descending aorta associated with severe mitral regurgitation due to leaflet flail and massive aortic insufficiency due to ascending aortic enlargement, leading to left ventricular dilation and dysfunction.

Comparison of long-term clinical and angiographic outcomes following implantation of bare metal stents and drug-eluting stents in aorto-ostial lesions.

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to aorto-ostial (AO) lesions is technically demanding and associated with high revascularization rates. The aim of this study was to assess outcomes after bare metal stent (BMS) compared to drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation after PCI to AO lesions. A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted of all consecutive patients who underwent PCI to AO lesions at 2 centers.

Clinical and angiographic outcomes after percutaneous recanalization of chronic total saphenous vein graft occlusion using modern techniques.

Poor long-term outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in chronic total occlusion (CTO) of saphenous vein grafts (SVGs) have been reported. However, limited data are available evaluating the use of modern techniques in this group. The aim of the present study was to assess the efficacy and long-term outcomes of PCI in SVG CTO with the routine use of embolic protection devices and drug-eluting stents.