Successful Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Using Intravascular Ultrasound-Guided Rewiring Technique in a Case of Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection Involving Left Main Bifurcation.

We herein describe a 49-year-old woman without significant cardiovascular risk factors who was transferred to our hospital with sudden onset of chest pain. The patient was diagnosed with non-ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction, and coronary angiography revealed a dissection at the proximal site of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) extending from the left main trunk (LMT) suggestive of spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD). Because coronary flow was impaired after contrast injection and the patient had chest pain with ST elevation, urgent percutaneous coronary intervention was performed.

Trans-radial percutaneous coronary intervention for patients with severe chronic renal insufficiency and/or on dialysis.

Periprocedural bleeding is associated with an increased risk of mortality during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), especially in patients with severe chronic renal insufficiency. Therefore, trans-radial intervention (TRI) should be considered in these patients; however, PCI operators usually avoid this approach because of the risk of radial artery occlusion. We aimed to investigate the associations of TRI and in-hospital complications in these patients.

Novel Insights of Jailed Balloon and Jailed Corsair Technique for Percutaneous Coronary Intervention of Bifurcation Lesions.

Background: The optimal technique for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of a bifurcation lesion remains uncertain. JBT/JCT techniques are now emerging for protection of the side branch (SB). We aimed to compare jailed balloon (JBT) and jailed Corsair (JCT) techniques to the conventional jailed wire technique.

Development of a transplant injection device for optimal distribution and retention of human induced pluripotent stem cell‒derived cardiomyocytes.

Background: Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)‒based regenerative therapy is a promising strategy for cardiovascular disease treatment; however, the method is limited by the myocardial retention of grafted iPSCs. Thus, an injection protocol that efficiently introduces and retains human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) within the myocardium is urgently needed. The objective of the present study was to develop a method to improve the retention of hiPSCs in the myocardium for cardiac therapy.

Stent Deformation Caused by Entrapment of the Side Branch Balloon Catheter During the Jailed Balloon Protection Technique for a Calcified Coronary Bifurcation Lesion: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for true bifurcation lesions is challenging. Although the jailed balloon protection technique is an established method with which to prevent side branch occlusion during the treatment of bifurcation lesions, little is known regarding the potential risks of this technique. We describe a 71-year-old man with exertional angina pectoris who was treated with PCI for a calcified true bifurcation lesion in the left anterior descending artery and diagonal branch.

A Transradial Approach of Cardiac Catheterization for Patients on Dialysis.

Background: Periprocedural bleeding is associated with increased risk of early mortality during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), especially in patients on dialysis. A transradial approach (TRA) should be considered for these patients; however, PCI operators avoid this approach because of the risk of radial artery occlusion (RAO). The aim of this study is to construct a TRA system and clarify its safety in patients on dialysis.

Catastrophic catheter-induced coronary artery vasospasm successfully rescued using intravascular ultrasound imaging guidance.

A 46-year-old man underwent coronary angiography for stable angina. He developed inferior ST-segment myocardial infarction during the angiography. Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) findings suggested coronary vasospasm.

Three-dimensional optical frequency domain imaging of a true bifurcation lesion after stent implantation using the jailed semi-inflated balloon technique.

Objective: Percutaneous coronary intervention for coronary bifurcation lesion is very challenging, especially for true bifurcation lesions. Although the jailed semi-inflated balloon technique is one of the established methods for treatment of coronary bifurcation lesions, little is known regarding the configuration of the side branch orifice after stent implantation using this technique.

Methods: We report a 73-year-old male patient with angina pectoris who was successfully treated with percutaneous coronary stent implantation for a true bifurcation lesion of the right coronary artery with an obtuse angle using the jailed semi-inflated balloon technique.

A case with a large intracoronary mobile mass diagnosed with a calcified thrombus using optical frequency domain imaging and intravascular ultrasound.

Objectives: A calcified thrombus is rare, but needs to be recognized and to be differentiated from calcified nodule.

Methods: We report a case of acute coronary syndrome and a large intracoronary mobile mass, which was identified as a calcified thrombus by optical frequency domain imaging and intravascular ultrasound.

Results: Successful direct stenting indicated that mobile mass was a calcified thrombus, not a calcified nodule.

Successful treatment using corticosteroids in early phase of eosinophilic myocarditis with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis.

We report the case of a 50-year-old man with eosinophilic myocarditis and bronchial asthma treated successfully with prednisolone. He was initially diagnosed with eosinophilia, and complained of acute chest pain with electrocardiographic changes and elevation of cardiac enzymes. Coronary angiography showed no atherosclerotic changes; therefore, we performed endomyocardial biopsy and started oral prednisolone therapy immediately.

The Prevalence of Clinically Significant Ischemia in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Report from the Multicenter Registry.

Background: Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) plays an important role in the evaluation and quantification of myocardial ischemia, and those with significant ischemia (SI) benefit most from revascularization procedures. This study aimed to identify the clinical factors and anatomical features associated with SI in patients with stable ischemic heart disease (SIHD).

Methods And Results: Data were analyzed from 4197 SIHD patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Gelatin Hydrogel Enhances the Engraftment of Transplanted Cardiomyocytes and Angiogenesis to Ameliorate Cardiac Function after Myocardial Infarction.

Cell transplantation therapy will mean a breakthrough in resolving the donor shortage in cardiac transplantation. Cardiomyocyte (CM) transplantation, however, has been relatively inefficient in restoring cardiac function after myocardial infarction (MI) due to low engraftment of transplanted CM. In order to ameliorate engraftment of CM, the novel transplantation strategy must be invented.

A massive suspension culture system with metabolic purification for human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes.

Cardiac regenerative therapy with human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), such as human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells, has been hampered by the lack of efficient strategies for expanding functional cardiomyocytes (CMs) to clinically relevant numbers. The development of the massive suspension culture system (MSCS) has shed light on this critical issue, although it remains unclear how hPSCs could differentiate into functional CMs using a MSCS. The proliferative rate of differentiating hPSCs in the MSCS was equivalent to that in suspension cultures using nonadherent culture dishes, although the MSCS provided more homogeneous embryoid bodies (EBs), eventually reducing apoptosis.

Derivation of transgene-free human induced pluripotent stem cells from human peripheral T cells in defined culture conditions.

Recently, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) were established as promising cell sources for revolutionary regenerative therapies. The initial culture system used for iPSC generation needed fetal calf serum in the culture medium and mouse embryonic fibroblast as a feeder layer, both of which could possibly transfer unknown exogenous antigens and pathogens into the iPSC population. Therefore, the development of culture systems designed to minimize such potential risks has become increasingly vital for future applications of iPSCs for clinical use.