Contemporary Use of Laser During Percutaneous Coronary Interventions: Insights from the Laser Veterans Affairs (LAVA) Multicenter Registry.

Background: The contemporary use and outcomes of excimer laser coronary atherectomy (ELCA) in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are not well described.

Methods: We examined the baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics and procedural outcomes of 130 target lesions in 121 consecutive PCIs (n = 116 patients) in which ELCA was performed at three United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers between 2008 and 2016.

Results: Mean age was 68.

Insertion of the Impella via the axillary artery for high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention.

Hemodynamic support with the Impella device is an important tool during high risk percutaneous coronary intervention. This device is usually inserted via the femoral artery. However, some patients have severe peripheral artery disease precluding the use of the femoral artery for this purpose.

Beat-to-beat corrected QT analysis detects corrected QT prolongation in 50 consecutive telemetry-monitored patients.

Background: The American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Foundation recommends monitoring for corrected QT (QTc) prolongation. The incidence of QTc prolongation in the general public is unknown. Episodic measurements may miss patients at risk.