Balloon aortic valvuloplasty for aortic stenosis using a novel percutaneous dilation catheter and power injector.

Calcific aortic stenosis is the most common valvular heart disease in the Western world. Although definitive treatment is valve replacement, many patients are not replacement candidates due to high surgical risk from older age and comorbid illness or lack of desire for a surgical or replacement procedure. Percutaneous balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) is an option for palliative treatment in nonsurgical patients, although this procedure is complicated during the immediate postprocedure period by bleeding requiring transfusion for about 1 in 5 patients and subsequent restenosis.

Carotid artery revascularisation in high-surgical-risk patients with the NexStent and the FilterWire EX/EZ: 3-year results from the CABERNET trial.

Aims: To investigate long-term outcomes achieved in high-surgical-risk patients and other clinically-relevant subgroups after carotid stenting with the NexStent and Filterwire EX/EZ devices.

Methods And Results: CABERNET, a prospective, multicentre, single-arm trial, enrolled 454 patients with extracranial internal carotid artery stenosis (symptomatic > or =50%, n=110; asymptomatic > or =60%, n=344). Early outcomes at one year have been reported.

[Reconstructive vascular surgery with long-term refrigerated homografts].

In most cases of vascular repair a graft implantation is needed. Homografts have been proven to be suitable conduits when no autogenous graft is available. High viability index of vein homograft was confirmed during long term refrigerated storage in tissue culture medium, however there was no data of successful implanted cases.

Protected carotid stenting in high-risk patients with severe carotid artery stenosis.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the safety of carotid artery stenting with a unique distal embolic protection system in high-risk patients with severe carotid stenosis.

Background: Previous studies suggest that some patients with carotid stenosis and serious comorbid conditions are at high risk for carotid endarterectomy, and may be safely treated by carotid artery stenting.

Methods: A prospective non-randomized multicenter registry of 419 patients with severe carotid stenosis and high-risk features for carotid endarterectomy was conducted between April 2004 and October 2004.