Carotid Artery Stenting 2013: Thumbs up.

It has been customary for interventional cardiologists involved in carotid artery stenting, to underline non-inferiority of the percutaneous technique versus surgical carotid endarterectomy. To that end, all cause morbidity and mortality figures of both methods are compared. Surgery has, in most large randomized studies, had an edge over stenting in terms of cerebrovascular adverse events.

Percutaneous Closure of the Left Atrial Appendage in Atrial Fibrillation, Second Thoughts?

Life expectancy of the population is steadily increasing world wide. Consequently, the incidence and ultimately the prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) and it's sequelae will be rising proportionately. It is estimated that 3-5% of persons above 65 years of age have chronic AF, 30% of which will suffer at least one stroke.

Can computer tomography help predict feasibility of transseptal puncture after percutaneous closure of an interatrial septal communication?

Background: Transseptal puncture (TSP) is the first step in pulmonary vein isolation and catheter ablation, as well as in left atrial appendage closure in atrial fibrillation. Although TSP has been reported to be successful in patients with device closure of interatrial septal communications, questions pertinent to its feasibility in patients with large devices still remain. We sought to determine whether a "safe zone" for TSP could be visualised by computer tomography (CT), especially if larger device sizes for interatrial septal communication closure (IASC-C) had been used.

Closure of Interatrial Septal Communications: Adverse Events and Lessons Learned.

Background: Percutaneous closure of interatrial septal communications (IASC) is generally being regarded as a safe and straightforward intervention. Reporting and classification of adverse events (AE) as is the case for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is not standardized. Also, the focus of reported larger studies has not been primarily on AE and strategies to avoid them.

Incidence and predictors of atrial fibrillation following transcatheter closure of interatrial septal communications using contemporary devices.

Background: Transcatheter closure of interatrial septal communications (IASC) is being increasingly performed, while less is known about predictors and incidence of new onset atrial fibrillation (AF) after device closure. Hitherto, most studies have only analyzed some parameters potentially influencing the occurrence of AF, variously omitting others and thus limiting interpretation of results.

Methods: Descriptive, single author, observational study with 68 consecutive patients [aged 53.

The impact of cardiac CT on the appropriate utilization of catheter coronary angiography.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) on the appropriate utilization of catheter angiography (CA). This observational trial analyzed all patients undergoing CA in 2006 and 2007 in one hospital. In 2007, patients having a low to intermediate cardiovascular risk and suspicion of coronary artery disease (CAD) and those with suspicion of progression of known organic heart disease (OHD) underwent CTCA either prior to CA or as the sole imaging modality.

Patient radiation dose during percutaneous interventional closure of interatrial communications.

Objective: To determine fluoroscopy time (FT) and radiation dose (RD) applied in percutaneous closure of interatrial septal communications (IAC).

Background: Percutaneous closure of IAC, namely patent foramen ovale (PFO) and atrial septal defect (ASD) is increasingly performed. In this often young population in full reproductive age, radiation dosage should be an important issue, yet consistent data on applied radiation dose have not been available to date.

Percutaneous, minimally invasive retrieval of a dislodged and impacted device from the abdominal aorta, four months after closure of an atrial septal defect.

Four months after the successful implantation of a closure device in a 67-year-old woman with an atrial septal defect, the device was found to be impacted in the abdominal aorta. Severe bouts of only partially containable coughing episodes had occurred some days after implantation. Despite unknown endothelialization status and extent of adhesion to the aorta, percutaneous retrieval was favored over conventional surgical retrieval.