Comparison of MANTA vs ProGlide Vascular Closure Device and 30-Day Outcomes in Transfemoral Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

Background: Vascular complications (VCs) after transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) have an increased mortality risk, and vascular closure device (VCD) use is mandatory. The percutaneous MANTA VCD (Teleflex) is a novel collagen-based technology for closure of large-bore arteriotomies. We compared the MANTA VCD with the suture-based ProGlide VCD (Abbott Vascular).

Syncope in a Patient With Giant Left Main Coronary Aneurysm: Is There a Link With Ventricular Arrhythmias?

Giant aneurysm of the left main coronary artery is exceedingly rare and accounts for less than 2% of patients undergoing coronary angiography. The etiology varies depending on the patient's age and geographic area, but half are of atherosclerotic origin. In most cases, coronary aneurysms are asymptomatic, however, symptomatic patients present with symptoms characteristic of coronary artery disease such as chest pain (angina pectoris), myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, and even sudden death.

Saphenous Vein Graft Aneurysm after Drug-Eluting Stent Implantation: Treatment by Covered Stent.

Saphenous vein graft aneurysms (SVGAs) occur as a rare complication of coronary artery bypass graft but increases the risk of morbidity and mortality. Atherosclerosis is considered to be the most common cause of saphenous vein graft aneurysms. Other etiologies include infections, varicosities of vein grafts, and surgical technical issues.

Strategies to overcome challenges of transradial coronary angiography and intervention.

The transradial approach has become the preferred route for performing coronary angiography and interventions. Several studies reported that radial access is associated with significant reduction in vascular complications compared with the femoral access. This technique allows also early ambulation, improves the patient's well-being, and is less expensive.

Left Ventricular Noncompaction Cardiomyopathy Presenting with Heart Failure in a 35-Year-Old Man.

Isolated ventricular noncompaction, a rare genetic cardiomyopathy, is thought to be caused by the arrest of normal myocardial morphogenesis. It is characterized by prominent, excessive trabeculation in a ventricular wall segment and deep intertrabecular recesses perfused from the ventricular cavity. The condition can present with heart failure, systematic embolic events, and ventricular arrhythmias.

Outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting versus percutaneous coronary intervention with second-generation drug-eluting stents for patients with multivessel and unprotected left main coronary artery disease.

Objectives: To compare the efficacy and safety of percutaneous coronary intervention using second-generation drug-eluting stents with those of coronary artery bypass grafting among patients with multivessel disease and/or unprotected left main coronary artery disease in terms of mortality, myocardial infarction, repeat revascularization, and angina.

Background: Although coronary artery disease is a leading cause of death in the Western world and in many developing countries, its optimal treatment is still a matter of controversy. Several studies have examined the clinical safety and efficacy of percutaneous coronary intervention using first-generation drug-eluting stents over coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with multivessel disease and/or unprotected left main coronary artery disease.

Symptomatic Type IV Dual Left Anterior Descending Coronary Artery.

Dual left anterior descending coronary artery is a rare congenital anomaly with 4 subtypes. Double left anterior descending coronary artery originating from the left main stem and the right coronary artery (type IV dual left anterior descending artery) has been reported to occur in 0.01% to 0.

Heavy Lifting Causing Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection with Anterior Myocardial Infarction in a 54-Year-Old Woman.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection in association with strenuous exercise and weightlifting is rather sparsely described in the medical literature. Diagnosis and treatment of this rare condition is a challenge, but prompt recognition and appropriate early choice of angioplasty or surgery can lead to a good outcome. We report the case of a postmenopausal 54-year-old woman who presented with anterior myocardial infarction caused by spontaneous dissection of the left anterior descending coronary artery after she had lifted a heavy weight while gardening.

A cardiac haemangioma: the contribution of myocardial contrast echocardiography in the diagnosis.

Cardiac haemangiomas are extremely rare and account for approximately 2% of all primary resected cardiac tumours. They can occur in any chamber and at any level, from pericardium to endocardium. Myocardial contrast echocardiography is an imaging tool for the assessment of myocardial microcirculation.