Publications by authors named "Luigi Pastormerlo"

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is a well-established treatment for high and intermediate-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS). Recent studies have demonstrated non-inferiority of TAVI compared to surgery in low-risk patients. In the past decade, numerous literature reviews (SLRs) have assessed the use of TAVI in different risk groups.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) is an increasingly used alternative to oral anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation, especially in patients with absolute/relative contraindications to these therapies. This review will cover three main aspects of the procedure. In the fist part of the manuscript, we focus on patient selection.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • This study investigates device-related thrombus (DRT) occurrences after left atrial appendage closure (LAAC), focusing on how often it persists or recurs.
  • It found that about 29% of DRT cases persist, with being female and having a larger initial thrombus size being significant predictors.
  • Unfavorable DRT evolution is linked to a higher rate of thromboembolic events, emphasizing the importance of monitoring thrombus size post-LAAC.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • A study compared the success rates and complications of using intra-cardiac echocardiography (ICE) versus transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) for guiding left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) procedures with a Watchmann FLX device across 26 Italian centers.
  • Both ICE and TEE groups had a 100% technical success rate and a high procedural success rate of around 98.5%, with similar outcomes for stroke and major bleeding after one year.
  • ICE had a longer procedural time but a shorter hospital stay compared to TEE, indicating that it may be equally effective but can streamline post-procedure recovery.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background The relative contribution of amyloid and fibrosis to extracellular volume expansion in cardiac amyloidosis (CA) has never been defined. Methods and Results We included all patients diagnosed with amyloid light-chain (AL) or transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis at a tertiary referral center between 2014 to 2020 and undergoing a left ventricular endomyocardial biopsy. Patients (n=37) were more often men (92%), with a median age of 72 years (interquartile range, 68-81).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background And Objectives: The absence of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with angina is common, but its prognosis is debated. We investigated outcomes of such patients to identify predictors of cardiovascular events.

Methods: We selected 1014 patients with angina, evidence of myocardial ischemia at the electrocardiogram (ECG) exercise test or imaging stress tests, and nonobstructive CAD (absence of lumen diameter reduction ≥50%) at coronary angiography between 1999 and 2015.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Device-related thrombus (DRT) has been considered an Achilles' heel of left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO). However, data on DRT prediction remain limited.

Objectives: This study constructed a DRT registry via a multicenter collaboration aimed to assess outcomes and predictors of DRT.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Transcatheter left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) is an increasingly used alternative to oral anticoagulation in selected patients with atrial fibrillation. Intraprocedural imaging is a crucial for a successful intervention, with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) as the current gold standard. Since some important limitations may affect TEE use, intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) is increasingly used as an alternative to TEE for guiding LAAO.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate a novel echocardiographic algorithm for quantitative estimation of pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) in patients with heart failure and pulmonary hypertension (PH) scheduled to right heart catheterization (RHC).

Methods And Results: In this monocentric study, 795 consecutive patients (427 men; age 68.4 ± 12.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Rationale: Despite advances in treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), many patients suffer significant myocardial damage with cardiac dysfunction. Sympathetic renal denervation (RD) may reduce adrenergic activation following AMI.

Objective: To investigate the potential role of RD limiting myocardial damage and remodeling when performed immediately after AMI.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The impressive advances in structural heart disease interventions in the last decade led to renewed interest in intracardiac echocardiography (ICE). The potential of ICE to avoid transesophageal echocardiography with its known limits, has supported ICE technology progress and wider clinical use. This review summarizes relevant evidence about ICE and provides the structural interventionalist with an illustrative guide on the use of ICE to guide various structural heart interventions.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the use of bare metal stent (BMS) implantation in current percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) era, focusing on indications for use and clinical outcomes.

Background: Limited data on BMS usage in current clinical practice are available.

Methods: All patients who underwent PCI with at least one BMS implantation in 18 Italian centers from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2017, were included in our registry.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aims: To assess the long-term outcomes of patients treated with sirolimus-eluting Stentys stent in a real-life setting.

Background: Few data regarding the safety and effectiveness of self-apposing sirolimus-eluting Stentys stent are available.

Methods: 278 patients (30% stable coronary artery disease, 70% acute coronary syndromes, and 54% on unprotected left main) treated with sirolimus eluting Stentys stent were retrospectively included in the self-aPposing, bAlloon-delivered, siRolimus-eluting stent for the Treatment of the coronary Artery disease multicenter registry.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: To compare the effectiveness and safety of self-expandable, sirolimus-eluting Stentys stents (SES) and second-generation drug-eluting stents (DES-II) for the treatment of the unprotected left main (ULM).

Background: SES may provide a valuable option to treat distal ULM, particularly when significant caliber gaps with side branches are observed.

Methods: Patients from the multicenter SPARTA (clinicaltrials.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • A study was conducted to compare the safety and effectiveness of two imaging techniques (intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) vs. transesophageal echocardiography (TEE)) for guiding left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) procedures using specific devices in Italy.
  • Data from 604 LAAO procedures showed high success rates for both techniques (around 94%), with slightly lower complication rates for ICE compared to TEE (4.2% vs. 6.5%).
  • The findings suggest that ICE could be a viable alternative to TEE for LAAO, pending further experience and training with the technique.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF