Mitral valve-in-valve and valve-in-ring procedures: Midterm outcomes in a French nationwide registry.

Objectives: Report contemporary outcomes in patients included in the Mitragister registry and treated with transcatheter mitral valve implantation for failed surgical annuloplasty rings or deteriorated bioprosthesis.

Background: Midterm survival rates have been reported, but little is known about contemporary morbimortality endpoints.

Methods: The primary safety outcome was the technical success rate.

Comparison of TransFemoral Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Performed With a Minimally Invasive Simplified Technique: "FAST" Versus a Standard Approach.

Objectives: To assess the safety and efficacy of a new simplified procedure for transfemoral (TF) transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR): the FAST protocol.

Background: A minimalist approach for TF-TAVR has been reported. The goal of this simplified strategy is to reduce the rate of specific complications associated with general anesthesia, second vascular access, and use of temporary pacemaker, and to reduce the length of stay.

Five-Year Clinical Outcome and Valve Durability After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in High-Risk Patients.

Background: The FRANCE-2 registry (French Aortic National Corevalve and Edwards) previously reported good early- and medium-term clinical and echocardiographic efficacy for transcatheter aortic valve replacement. We here report 5-year follow-up results from the registry.

Methods: The registry includes all consecutive patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement for severe aortic stenosis in France.

Late Outcomes of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in High-Risk Patients: The FRANCE-2 Registry.

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has revolutionized management of high-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis. However, survival and the incidence of severe complications have been assessed in relatively small populations and/or with limited follow-up.

Objectives: This report details late clinical outcome and its determinants in the FRANCE-2 (FRench Aortic National CoreValve and Edwards) registry.

Registry of transcatheter aortic-valve implantation in high-risk patients.

Background: Transcatheter aortic-valve implantation (TAVI) is an emerging intervention for the treatment of high-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis and coexisting illnesses. We report the results of a prospective multicenter study of the French national transcatheter aortic-valve implantation registry, FRANCE 2.

Methods: All TAVIs performed in France, as listed in the FRANCE 2 registry, were prospectively included in the study.

Percutaneous coronary intervention in anticoagulated patients via radial artery access.

Objectives: To assess safety and feasibility of using radial artery access for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients on oral anticoagulation without interrupting therapy.

Background: The radial artery approach for PCI is intuitively attractive for patients receiving chronic oral anticoagulation with vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) but little data exist concerning feasibility or safety of this approach in this population. The main advantage of this strategy would be to avoid bridging therapy with heparin that increases risk of thrombotic and bleeding events.

Conservative management for an extensive type A aortic dissection complicating coronary angioplasty.

Aortic dissection is a recognized, though rare complication of percutaneous revascularization procedures. We report a case of an extensive type A dissection that occurred during an attempt to recanalize a chronic total occlusion of a right coronary artery. The patient was treated conservatively and was followed for 36 months, during which he remained well.

A comparison of systematic stenting and conventional balloon angioplasty during primary percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction. STENTIM-2 Investigators.

Objectives: In a multicenter, randomized trial, systematic stenting using the Wiktor stent was compared to conventional balloon angioplasty with provisional stenting for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Background: Primary angioplasty in AMI is limited by in-hospital recurrent ischemia and a high restenosis rate.

Methods: A total of 211 patients with AMI <12 h from symptom onset, with an occluded native coronary artery, were randomly assigned to systematic stenting (n = 101) or balloon angioplasty (n = 110).

Clinical experience with a new biocompatible phosphorylcholine-coated coronary stent.

Aims: The BiodivYsio stent is a new stent coated with phosphorylcholine, a biocompatible molecule designed to reduce the formation of thrombus and potentially the risk of restenosis. The feasibility, safety, and efficacy of elective and urgent implantation of this coated coronary stent were prospectively studied.

Methods And Results: We studied 224 patients who underwent elective (67%) or bail-out implantation of 303 BiodivYsio stents in 286 lesions.

Stiff hydrophilic glidewire: a useful tool for percutaneous insertion of intraaortic balloon counterpulsation catheters.

Intra-aortic balloon catheters have a central lumen able to accommodate dedicated 0.030" guidewires but not conventional 0.035" guidewires.

Direct stent implantation without predilatation using the MultiLink stent.

The standard coronary stent implantation technique requires routine predilatation of the target lesion with a balloon catheter. In this study, we prospectively studied the feasibility and efficiency of elective coronary stent implantation without predilatation. In 94 patients who presented with various ischemic syndromes, direct implantation of 100 balloon expandable ACS MultiLink stents (7 over-the-wire, 93 rapid exchange) was attempted in 100 coronary lesions selected to have favorable characteristics.

Preliminary clinical experience with the Bard XT coronary stent.

Background: The Bard XT stent is a balloon expandable stent with a new design, consisting of discrete zigzag modules welded onto a flexible longitudinal spine.

Methods: To assess the safety and efficacy of this recently introduced coronary stent, we studied 81 patients (107 lesions) who underwent implantation of 108 such stents (66% elective).

Results: Primary success in stent delivery was 97.

Bilateral internal mammary angiography through a right radial approach: a case report.

This case report demonstrates that bilateral internal mammary angiography through a single right-radial approach is feasible and convenient. It avoids double-brachial or radial artery puncture, is adapted to the variable characteristics of right internal mammary artery origin, and may be considered when the femoral approach is contraindicated.

Recanalization of chronic coronary occlusions using a new hydrophilic guidewire.

Chronic total occlusion remains a relative contraindication and the main cause of failure of coronary angioplasty. Previously available hydrophilic guidewires had numerous limitations. The Crosswire is a new 0.

Preliminary experience with the NIR coronary stent.

We prospectively studied 223 patients (288 lesions) who underwent elective or bail out implantation of 309 NIR stents (Scimed, Boston Scientific Corporation, Galway, Ireland). Most lesions (68.4%) had unfavorable characteristics (type B2 or C).

Early deterioration after excimer laser-assisted coronary angioplasty.

Coronary lumen changes after excimer laser coronary angioplasty, after adjunct percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, and at 24 hours after intervention were assessed using quantitative coronary angiography. Lesions treated with this combined technique showed significant early deterioration within 24 hours.