Prognostic benefits of early vascular surgical intervention in patients with major peripheral vascular complications following transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the incidence, surgical management of major vascular complications, and outcomes in patients undergoing transfemoral (TF) transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) at our center after strict selection of the access route, carefully considering all known major predictors.

Methods: Data of 494 consecutive patients with pre-interventional multi-slice computed tomography (CT) of the aorta who had undergone TF TAVR from 2009 to 2019 were analyzed.

Results: In total, 23/494 (4.

Left atrial appendage thrombus formation, potential of resolution and association with prognosis in a large real-world cohort.

Comprehensive data on factors influencing left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombus formation, resolution and impact on survival are limited. In this single-center, retrospective study 7759 (2010-2015) patients with symptomatic ongoing atrial fibrillation (AF) on admission were screened for LAA thrombi. 450 patients had LAA thrombi.

Functional and hemodynamic result with the PASCAL Ace percutaneous mitral valve repair: A single-center experience.

Objectives: The PASCAL device is a transcatheter edge-to-edge repair system (TEER) for treatment of mitral regurgitation (MR). The PASCAL Ace as a newer version of the PASCAL device consists of a thinner profile without a spacer. The aim of the study was to examine the functional and hemodynamic outcome after TEER with the PASCAL Ace device in a real-world cohort.

Functional and hemodynamic results after transcatheter mitral valve leaflet repair with the PASCAL device depending on etiology in a real-world cohort.

Background: The PASCAL system (Edwards Lifescience, Irvine, CA, USA) is a novel device for edge-to-edge treatment of mitral regurgitation (MR). The aim of our study was to examine the functional and hemodynamic outcome after repair of functional (FMR) and degenerative mitral regurgitation (DMR) using the PASCAL system in a real-world setting.

Methods: A total 92 consecutive patients with symptomatic MR 3+/4+ were treated in our institute using the PASCAL device.

Mid-term hemodynamic and functional results after transcatheter mitral valve leaflet repair with the new PASCAL device.

Aims: To examine the functional and hemodynamic mid-term outcome at 5 months of mitral regurgitation (MR) reduction using the PASCAL repair system.

Methods And Results: Between July 2019 and February 2020 31 consecutive patients with MR 3 +/4 + (mean age 77.5 years, all in New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III-IV, STS score 9.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement for severe aortic stenosis can improve long-term survival of nonagenarians as compared to an age- and sex-matched general population.

Background: Nonagenarians are at increased risk for morbidity and mortality after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) based solely on their age. The aim of our study was to evaluate survival of nonagenarians with severe aortic valve stenosis (AS) after TAVR as compared to an age- and sex-matched general population.

Methods: From 2009 to 2017, 1052 consecutive patients ≥80 years scheduled for TAVR were included.

Incidence and Clinical Impact of Cerebral Lesions after the MitraClip® Procedure.

Background: Clinically silent brain injury detected with cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is well known after various cardiovascular interventions. Thus far, only one study has examined the periprocedural risk of cerebral ischemic events in patients undergoing percutaneous mitral valve reconstruction. The study aim was to examine the incidence and clinical impact of cerebral embolic events in patients undergoing percutaneous mitral valve reconstruction using the MitraClip® system.

Left ventricular ejection fraction of < 20%: Too bad for MitraClip ?

Objectives: This study sought to investigate whether the percutaneous mitral regurgitation (MR) reduction with the MitraClip® system in end-stage heart failure patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of <20% also effects beneficial outcome or whether the underlying myogenic problem is leading and therefore of prognostic relevance.

Backround: The interventional treatment of functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) with the MitraClip system could improve the clinical and hemodynamic outcome in patients with severely impaired left ventricular function.

Materials And Methods: Between 2011 and 2016, a total of 147 patients with FMR were treated with MitraClip at our institution.

Hemodynamic Improvement at Three Months after MitraClip® Treatment in End-Stage Heart Failure Patients with Functional Mitral Regurgitation.

Background: Functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) is common in patients with advanced heart failure and impaired left ventricular function. The study aim was to examine functional and hemodynamic effects at three months after MitraClip® implantation in high-risk surgical patients with FMR.

Methods: A group of 93 patients was rejected for surgical treatment by heart-team decisions due to an inacceptable risk for conventional mitral valve surgery.

Influence of experience on procedure steps, safety, and functional results in edge to edge mitral valve repair-a single center study.

Objectives: We sought to determine the effects of experience on the Mitraclip procedure steps as well as procedure safety and functional results.

Background: MR has proven deleterious in heart failure. Mitraclip therapy evolved an important option in patients with severely reduced left ventricular function (LVEF).

Decreasing incidence of coronary heart disease in extreme obesity (BMI≥40)-A single centre experience.

Aim: The aim of our comprehensive single centre analysis was to evaluate the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) in extremely obese patients.

Methods And Results: Between 2005 and 2015 we investigated retrospectively 23,359 patients undergoing cardiac catheterisation in our institution. Patients were divided in six weight classes according to World Health Organization (WHO) criteria [1] (WHO, 2000).

Rafs constitute a nodal point in the regulation of embryonic endothelial progenitor cell growth and differentiation.

Mouse embryonic endothelial progenitor cells (eEPCs) acquire a mature phenotype after treatment with cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), suggesting an involvement of Raf serine/threonine kinases in the differentiation process. To test this idea, we investigated the role of B-Raf and C-Raf in proliferation and differentiation of eEPCs by expressing fusion proteins consisting of the kinase domains from Raf molecules and the hormone binding site of the estrogen receptor (ER), or its variant, the tamoxifen receptor. Our findings show that both B- and C-Raf kinase domains, when lacking adjacent regulatory parts, are equally effective in inducing eEPC differentiation.

Palliative chemotherapy with gemcitabine and weekly high-dose 5-fluorouracil as 24-h infusion in metastatic biliary tract and gall bladder adenocarcinomas.

At present, systemic treatment is not generally recommended for advanced biliary tract and gall bladder carcinomas. In particular cases, however, it may be justified to consider systemic chemotherapy treatment. In four cases we investigated the efficacy of palliative systemic treatment in metastatic biliary tract and gall bladder adenocarcinomas.