Comparison of Vessel Responses Following Combined Sirolimus-Eluting and Endothelial Progenitor Cell Stent and Ultra-Thin Sirolimus-Eluting Stent Implantation by Serial Optical Coherence Tomography and Coronary Angioscopy: A Multicenter Observational Study.

A dual-therapy sirolimus-eluting and CD34+ antibody-coated Combo Stent (DTS) has been developed to enhance endothelization and capture endothelial progenitor cells; however, vessel responses following DTS implantation remain unclear. Therefore, we evaluated early- and mid-term intravascular characteristics of DTS using intravascular imaging modalities. This multicenter, prospective, observational study enrolled 88 patients (95 lesions) who underwent DTS (43 patients, 48 lesions) or sirolimus-eluting Orsiro stent (SES, 45 patients, 47 lesions) implantation.

Healing process of myocardial edema in acute perimyocarditis: Observation by speckle-tracking echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance parametric mapping.

This report describes the case of a 42-year-old male patient with acute viral perimyocarditis. The case study serves as a demonstration of the use of speckle-tracking echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging in monitoring myocardial changes associated with perimyocarditis. It explores the possibility that regional longitudinal strain (LS) may predict prognosis in the affected areas of the myocardium, and could reflect more advanced areas of myocyte damage within myocardial edema.

Catheter-based ultrasound renal denervation in patients with resistant hypertension: the randomized, controlled REQUIRE trial.

Renal denervation is a promising new non-pharmacological treatment for resistant hypertension. However, there is a lack of data from Asian patients. The REQUIRE trial investigated the blood pressure-lowering efficacy of renal denervation in treated patients with resistant hypertension from Japan and South Korea.

Cardiac pseudomass due to enlarged epicardial adipose tissue: Comparison of echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.

A 75-year-old woman underwent preoperative echocardiography, which revealed a mass in the left atrium; however, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging showed no mass. Echocardiography revealed an enlargement of the epicardial adipose tissue in the left atrioventricular groove, therefore a pseudomass. Causes of cardiac pseudomass on echocardiography have been reported.

Impact of different coronary angioscopic findings on arterial healing one year after bioresorbable-polymer and second-generation durable-polymer drug-eluting stent implantation.

Background: The advantage of using bioresorbable-polymer drug-eluting stent (BP-DES) compared with second-generation durable-polymer drug-eluting stent (2G DP-DES) still remains controversial in clinical situations. The purpose of this study to evaluate the degree of re-endothelialization and the prevalence of high-grade yellow-colored plaque (YCP), which might concern arterial healing after BP-DES and 2G DP-DES implantation using a high-resolution coronary angioscopy (CAS).

Methods: In total, 104 DESs (52: 2G DP-DES and 52: BP-DES) were prospectively observed using CAS 12±1 months after coronary intervention.

Efficacy and safety of apixaban in a patient with systemic venous thromboembolism associated with hereditary antithrombin deficiency.

A 40-year-old man with progressively worsening dyspnea was admitted to our hospital. On physical examination, pulse oximetry results demonstrated 80% oxygen saturation in room air. The lungs sounded clear, and both extremities appeared normal, without pitting edema.

Rescue Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for a Lethal "Jailed" Septal Perforator Branch to Resolve Delayed Complete Atrioventricular Block.

Delayed complete atrioventricular (AV) block associated with an occluded septal perforator branch (SPB) is an uncommon complication after performing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). Here we report the case of a 74-year-old man who underwent elective PCI for proximal LAD complicated with occlusion of the first major SPB and developed a complete AV block 78 hours after PCI was performed. The patient received a temporary transvenous pacemaker via the jugular vein and successfully underwent balloon angioplasty of the lethal "jailed" SPB, resulting in recovery from the complete AV block.

Comparison of neointimal coverage between durable-polymer everolimus-eluting stents and bioresorbable-polymer everolimus-eluting stents 1 year after implantation using high-resolution coronary angioscopy.

Objectives: We aimed to compare the coronary angioscopic appearance of neointimal coverage (NIC) over durable-polymer everolimus-eluting stents (XIENCE-EES) and bioresorbable-polymer everolimus-eluting stents (SYNERGY-EES) 1 year after implantation.

Background: XIENCE-EES and SYNERGY-EES have been developed to prevent delayed arterial healing associated with first generation drug-eluting stents. However, the process of arterial healing after XIENCE-EES and SYNERGY-EES implantation has not been clarified.

Clinical efficacy of a stent-in-stent procedure for stent fracture in a narrowing anastomosis of femoral-popliteal bypass represented repetitive acute limb ischemia.

A 72-year-old male with sudden onset pain and coldness in his left lower limb was referred to our hospital. An emergency angiography of the lower limbs demonstrated the cause of acute limb ischemia as a subsequent acute thromboembolism at the site of a narrowing anastomosis of femoral-popliteal bypass (FPB). In particular, the site of the narrowing anastomosis had already been fixed using a nitinol stent 4 years previously.

Combination of Carbon Dioxide Angiography and Outback® Elite for Revascularization of a Patient with Renal Insufficiency with Bilateral Femoropopliteal Chronic Total Occlusions.

A new reentry device (Outback Elite) system has been available in Japan since June 2016. This new device enables easier treatment of chronic total occlusion (CTO) in the lower extremities. We report a case of a woman in her 70s who underwent revascularization using this new device twice to treat both of her femoropopliteal CTO lesions.

Impact of low-dose prednisolone on refractory pitting edema manifesting remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema syndrome.

We encountered an elderly male patient who after cardiac surgery for mitral stenosis had refractory pitting edema in both legs involving painful leg joints after a 1-month history of waxing and waning arthralgia. His family doctor had prescribed a combination of diuretics, 40 mg furosemide and 25 mg spironolactone; however, pitting edema in his lower legs persisted. He was diagnosed with worsening of congestive heart failure because of a previous cardiac surgery and was transferred to our hospital.

Amyloid Light-Chain Amyloidosis Manifesting as Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction in a Patient with Hyper-Immunoglobulin E-emia.

Background: Considering the increased prevalence of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) as a result of the aging population, the pathophysiology of HFpEF needs to be examined. Furthermore, many comorbidity profiles in patients with HFpEF have been reported. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a well-known specific etiology of HFpEF.

Switching types of drug-eluting stents does not prevent repeated in-stent restenosis in patients with coronary drug-eluting stent restenosis.

Objectives: We treated patients experiencing drug-eluting stent (DES) restenosis with plain old balloon angioplasty (POBA), implantation of the same type of DES [homogeneous drug-eluting stent (HOMO-DES)], or implantation of a different type of DES [heterogeneous drug-eluting stent (HETERO-DES)], and compared the efficacy and safety of these procedures for the prevention of repeated in-stent restenosis (ISR).

Background: In patients with de-novo coronary lesions, DES implantation is associated with a markedly reduced restenosis rate as compared with that associated with a bare metal stent and POBA. However, the optimal management strategy for patients with DES ISR remains unknown.