Cangrelor versus crushed ticagrelor in patients with acute myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock: rationale and design of the randomised, double-blind DAPT-SHOCK-AMI trial.

Cardiogenic shock (CS) is a devastating and fatal complication of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). CS can affect the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of medications. The unique properties of cangrelor make it the optimal P2Y12 inhibitor for CS-AMI, in terms of both efficacy and safety.

Successful emergency endovascular aortic repair for intratumoral hemorrhage in extensive retroperitoneal mass of testicular origin.

Background: Metastatic germ cell cancer of the testis is characterized by favorable prognosis since effective treatment methods are available even in cases of extensive disease. Retroperitoneal masses frequently encroach major blood vessels requiring a vascular intervention usually performed in association with the post-chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND). Reported clinical case describes a successful pre-treatment endovascular surgery for abdominal aortic rupture allowing for full-dose systemic chemotherapy administration, and subsequent radical surgical intervention at primary tumor site as well as metastatic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection including the reconstruction of inferior caval vein.

Comparison of Non-Gated vs. ECG-gated CT Angiography of Fontan Circulation in Patients with Implanted Stents in Pulmonary Branches.

Background: Motion artifacts may degrade CT examination of Fontan pathway and hinder accurate diagnosis of in-stent restenosis.

Purpose: We retrospectively compared ECG-gated multi-detector computed tomography (CT) with non-ECG-gated CT in order to demonstrate whether or not one of the methods should be preferred.

Method: The study included 13 patients with surgically reconstructed Fontan pathway.

Improvement in asymmetric dimethylarginine and oxidative stress in patients with limb salvage after autologous mononuclear stem cell application for critical limb ischemia.

Background: Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, acts as an inhibitor of angiogenesis and is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality. Administration of stem cells may affect endogenous mechanisms that regulate ADMA production and metabolism. The aim of the present study was to analyze ADMA concentration and changes in oxidative stress in patients with advanced critical limb ischemia (CLI) after bone marrow-derived mononuclear cell (BM-MNC) therapy.

Characteristics of responders to autologous bone marrow cell therapy for no-option critical limb ischemia.

Background: The present study investigated factors associated with therapeutic benefits after autologous bone marrow cell (BMC) therapy in patients with "no-option" critical limb ischemia (CLI).

Methods And Results: Sixty-two patients with advanced CLI (Rutherford category 5 or 6) not eligible for revascularization were randomized to treatment with 40 ml of autologous BMCs (SmartPreP2) by local intramuscular (n = 32) or intra-arterial (n = 30) application. The primary endpoint was limb salvage and wound healing at 12 months.