Do we reperfuse those in most need? Clinical characteristics of ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients receiving reperfusion therapy in the countrywide registry HELIOS.

Introduction: we analysed the clinical profile of patients with an ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who arrived in hospital within 12 hrs from pain onset and either received reperfusion therapy (PCI or fibrinolytic therapy) or remained without reperfusion.

Methods: the Hellenic Infarction Observation Study (HELIOS) was a countrywide registry of acute myocardial infarction, conducted during 2005-2006. The registry enrolled 1840 patients with myocardial infarction from 31 hospitals, with a proportional representation of all types of hospitals and all geographical areas.

Biomechanical testing of a shape memory alloy suture in a meniscal suture model.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the biomechanical results of meniscal repair in vitro by a nitinol suture and compare them with Ethibond (Ethicon, Somerville, NJ) and nylon.

Methods: The 6 testing groups consisted of nitinol, Ethibond, and nylon sutures (No. 2-0 and No.