Publications by authors named "Xavier Millan-Alvarez"

Article Synopsis
  • Patients with a heart condition called atrial fibrillation (AF) who have strokes can still be at very high risk of having more strokes, even when taking medication to prevent them.
  • Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) is a special procedure aimed at helping these patients avoid future strokes.
  • A study compared two groups – one that had LAAO and one that only continued their usual medication – and found that there was still a risk of strokes in both groups over a two-year period.
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Many lesions in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) exhibit significant calcification. Several techniques have been developed to improve outcomes in this setting. However, their impact on coronary microcirculation remains unknown.

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Article Synopsis
  • Left atrial appendage (LAA) occluder embolization is a rare but critical complication occurring mostly within the first 24 hours after the procedure, with data collected from 67 centers on 108 patients.
  • The management strategies included attempting percutaneous retrieval in 75% of cases, while 21.3% of patients underwent surgery without prior attempts, highlighting significant mortality rates associated with multiple retrieval attempts.
  • Overall, a major adverse event rate of 43.5% was observed, underscoring the serious risks, including death, particularly following unsuccessful retrievals.
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Background: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) are at high risk of ischemic and recurrent bleeding events. Therefore, the decision of restarting or avoiding anticoagulation is challenging. Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) is an alternative for these patients.

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