[Transcatheter aortic-valve implantation. A ten years clinical experience].

Background: Transcatheter aortic-valve implantation (TAVI) was introduced in 2002 and the first implants in our country were performed in 2010.

Aim: To review the TAVI experience in our hospital, considering the technology improvements and gained experience throughout this period.

Material And Methods: All patients undergoing TAVI in our center were included.

[Long term results of mitral balloon valvuloplasty].

Background: Mitral balloon valvuloplasty (MBV) is the therapy of choice for the treatment of symptomatic mitral stenosis with suitable anatomy. Although its short and mid-term results are favorable, there is a paucity of information about long-term follow-up.

Aim: To assess the late results of MBV.

Evaluation of patient doses and lens radiation doses to interventional cardiologists in a nationwide survey in Chile.

The objective of this study was to perform a nationwide survey in Chile to determine dose levels to patients and staff in four risk scenarios during cardiac catheterisation procedures. Different phantom thicknesses of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) were used to simulate adult patients. Scenario 1: 10-min fluoroscopy and 800 cine frames for 20 cm of PMMA; Scenario 2: 10-min fluoroscopy and 800 cine frames for 28 cm of PMMA; Scenario 3: 30-min fluoroscopy and 2400 cine frames for 20 cm of PMMA; Scenario 4: 30-min fluoroscopy and 2400 cine frames for 28 cm of PMMA.

Scatter and staff dose levels in paediatric interventional cardiology: a multicentre study.

Interventional cardiology procedures usually imply high doses to the staff, as paediatric cardiologists need to stay closer to the patient than during adult procedures. Also, biplane systems are used that imply an additional source of staff doses. The objective of this paper is to measure scatter doses in four X-ray systems, using polymethyl methacrylate phantoms with thicknesses ranging from 4 to 16 cm to simulate paediatric patients, for the different acquisition modes.

Oral rapamycin to prevent human coronary stent restenosis: a pilot study.

Background: Recent human trials with rapamycin-eluting stents have shown very low restenosis rates. However, the high costs of these devices preclude their use in routine angioplasty, especially when considering multiple stenting. We evaluated whether orally administered rapamycin inhibits in-stent neointimal growth in patients with unstable angina.