Transcatheter Closure or Surgery for Symptomatic Paravalvular Leaks: The Multicenter KISS Registry.

Background: The optimal treatment of symptomatic paravalvular leak (PVL) remains controversial between transcatheter closure (TC) and surgery. This large-scale study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the long-term outcomes of the patients who underwent reoperation or TC of PVLs.

Methods And Results: A total of 335 (men, 209 [62.

Transcatheter mitral paravalvular closure: a single centre experience with techniques and outcomes.

Background: In patients with symptomatic mitral PVL, successful transcatheter reduction of the PVL to less than mild is associated with significant improvement in short- and midterm survival.

Objectives: In this study, we present our single-centre, same operators' experience on percutaneous paravalvular leak closure with techniques and outcomes.

Methods: In this retrospective observational designed study, we retrieved hospital records of patients with a surgical history of mechanical or biological prosthetic valve replacement and who subsequently underwent transcatheter mitral paravalvular leak closure (TMPLC).

Serum Levels of Cholesterol and Lipoproteins in Patients With Symptomatic Paravalvular Leaks.

Paravalvular leak (PVL) is a complication of valve replacement surgery which may lead to serious clinical consequences including hemolytic anemia. This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the effect of successful intervention on serum lipid parameters in patients with PVL. A total of 106 patients (mean age: 57.

A rare complication of percutaneous closure of coronary artery fistula: Inability to retrieve coil.

Coronary fistulae may lead to coronary steal phenomenon or considerable volume overload on the cardiac chambers, causing significant hemodynamic problems. Coronary fistulae can be closed either surgically or percutaneously. Percutaneous closure is frequently performed with coil embolization or a vascular plug.

Percutaneous retrieval of embolized Amplatzer septal occluder from pulmonary artery using a novel method.

Percutaneous closure of atrial septal defects is accepted as a safe and effective treatment method. Device embolization is a rare, but potentially fatal complication. While embolized devices are typically removed surgically, in eligible cases, they can also be removed percutaneously at an experienced center.

Closure of mitral paravalvular defects without performing an arteriovenous loop: a case series of fourteen patients.

Introduction: The arteriovenous (AV) loop is recommended when further support is needed during paravalvular leak (PVL) closure.

Aim: We report the feasibility and safety of mitral PVL closure without constructing an AV loop, based on a single-centre experience.

Material And Methods: Fourteen patients with mitral valve replacement (MVR) who had New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III-IV dyspnoea or NYHA class II symptoms with significant haemolytic anaemia caused by severe or moderate-to-severe paravalvular regurgitation and who underwent transcatheter PVL closure (TPVLC) between May 2014 and February 2017 were enrolled.

Percutaneous Retrieval of an Embolized Catheter Tip With the Balloon Dilatation Technique.

Introduction: Increasing numbers of complex percutaneous coronary interventions have been accompanied by various intra-procedural complications. The fracture and embolization of devices or their fragments are potentially life-threatening situations, depending on the site of embolization. Different non-surgical methods to handle embolic complications have been proposed for different clinical situations.

The effects of tirofiban infusion on clinical and angiographic outcomes of patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI.

Objective: The present study was designed to determine the effects of tirofiban (Tiro) infusion on angiographic measures, ST-segment resolution, and clinical outcomes in patients with STEMI undergoing PCI. Glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa inhibitors are beneficial in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), while the most effective timing of administration is still under investigation.

Methods: A total of 1242 patients (83.

Acute myocarditis or the kounis syndrome: role of cardiac MRI and speckle-tracking echocardiography in diagnosis.

Introduction: The Kounis syndrome and acute myocarditis are two distinct clinical entities, which could share nearly the same symptomatology as well as ECG (electrocardiography) and laboratory findings.

Case Presentation: First case was a 39-year-old male presented with acute chest pain and inferolateral ST elevation on ECG. The second case was a 29-year-old male presented with chest pain and diffuses ST elevation.

Peripartum cardiomyopathy: current state of knowledge, new developments and future directions.

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a form of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy affecting women in late pregnancy or early puerperium. Although initially described in the late 1800s, it has only recently been recognized as a distinct cardiac condition. The reported incidence and prognosis varies according to geography.

Plasma factor XI and XII activity in patients with slow coronary flow.

The exact pathophysiology of slow coronary flow (SCF) phenomenon, characterized by delayed opacification of coronary arteries during coronary angiography, is still unknown, although endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, vasomotor disorders and atherosclerosis are shown. The present study was conducted to investigate whether there is a coagulation pathway abnormality in patients with SCF measuring plasma factor XI and XII activity. The study included 55 patients with angiographically proven SCF (group I) and 40 individuals with normal coronary flow (NCF, group II).

Serum carbohydrate antigen 125 levels in nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy: a useful biomarker for prognosis and functional mitral regurgitation.

The authors investigated the prognostic relevance of serum carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) levels in nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NICMP) and assessed whether increased levels relate to the degree of functional mitral regurgitation (FMR). Seventy-seven patients with NICMP were enrolled and followed-up for 10 ± 2 months in this prospective study. Receiver-operating characteristic analysis established a cutoff CA125 value of 25 U/mL for predicting mortality.

Acute thrombus formation on an Amplatzer device during transcatheter closure of an atrial septal defect in a patient with homozygous factor V Leiden mutation.

A 32-year-old woman underwent transcatheter closure of a secundum type atrial septal defect with the Amplatzer device. The procedure was started under premedication with aspirin, clopidogrel, and heparin. During the procedure, a highly mobile thrombus attached to the left atrial disc of the device was detected by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE).

Do mobile phones pose a potential risk to autonomic modulation of the heart?

Background: It has long been speculated that mobile phones may interact with the cardiac devices and thereby cardiovascular system may be a potential target for the electromagnetic fields emitted by the mobile phones. Therefore, the present study was designed to test possible effects of radiofrequency waves emitted by digital mobile phones on cardiac autonomic modulation by short-time heart rate variability (HRV) analysis.

Methods And Results: A total of 20 healthy young subjects were included to the study.

Primary angioplasty in a high-volume tertiary center in Turkey: in-hospital clinical outcomes of 1625 patients.

Objectives: We evaluated in-hospital results of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in a high-volume tertiary center.

Study Design: We retrospectively evaluated 1625 patients (1323 males, 302 females; mean age 56.0 ± 11.

The prognostic value of combined fractional flow reserve and TIMI frame count measurements in patients with stable angina pectoris and acute coronary syndrome.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of different fractional flow reserve (FFR) cutoff values and corrected thrombolysis in myocardial infarction frame (TIMI) count (CTFC) measurements in a series of consecutive patients with moderate coronary lesions, including patients with unstable angina, myocardial infarction, and/or positive noninvasive functional test findings.

Methods: We included 162 consecutive coronary patients in whom revascularization of a moderate coronary lesion was deferred based on a FFR value ≥0.75.

Effect of treadmill exercise testing on P wave duration and dispersion in patients with isolated myocardial bridging.

Several previous studies suggest that myocardial bridging (MB) is associated with ischemia and rhythm disturbances. We sought to examine exercise-induced changes in P wave duration and dispersion (PWD), the markers of atrial conduction abnormalities in patients with isolated MB of left anterior descending artery (LAD) and control subjects. Eighteen patients with MB of LAD (group-I) and 22 subjects with angiographically demonstrated normal coronary arteries (group-II) underwent treadmill exercise testing.

Assessment of left ventricular functions in patients with isolated coronary artery ectasia by conventional and tissue Doppler imaging.

The authors sought to determine left ventricular functions by conventional and tissue Doppler imaging in patients with isolated coronary artery ectasia and controls. Peak early (E) and late (A) mitral inflow velocity, E/A ratio, E deceleration time, and isovolumetric relaxation time were obtained. Peak systolic velocity (Sm), diastolic early (Em), and late (Am) velocities were measured by tissue Doppler imaging.

Identifying cardiovascular risk factors in a patient population with coronary artery ectasia.

Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) is frequently considered as a form of coronary artery disease. Cardiovascular risk factors were determined in a patient population with CAE. The 51 patients with isolated CAE (group 1), 61 patients with CAE coexisting with significant coronary stenosis (group 2), and 62 subjects with significant coronary stenosis (group 3) were included in the study, and the distribution of cardiovascular risk factors was compared.

Acute effect of cigarette smoking on heart rate variability.

Acute cigarette smoking enhances adrenergic activity and thus may be associated with hemodynamic changes in the cardiovascular system. In this study, the acute effect of cigarette smoking on heart rate variability (HRV) was studied. Fifteen subjects were included in the study.

Effect of slow coronary flow on P-wave duration and dispersion.

The slow coronary flow (SCF) phenomenon is often considered to be an incidental angiographic finding; however, several reports have shown it to be associated with cardiac events. In this study we aimed to assess P-wave duration and dispersion (PWD) in patients with SCF and to compare it with that of healthy subjects. Thus, 40 patients with angiographically proven SCF and otherwise normal coronary arteries (group 1) and 36 sex-age-matched healthy subjects (group 2) were included in this study.

Assessing coronary blood flow with TIMI frame count method in isolated myocardial bridging.

Myocardial bridging (MB) is a congenital anomaly of coronary arteries and its functional significance remains controversial. Using the TIMI frame count (TFC) method, the authors investigated whether the coronary blood flow velocity is decreased in MB. The study included 18 patients (group 1; 12 men and 6 women; mean age 50 +/-6 years) who had angiographically proven MB and otherwise normal coronary arteries and 20 subjects (group 2; 13 men and 7 women; mean age 50 +/-7 years) with normal-appearing coronary arteriograms.