Two-year follow-up of transcatheter aortic valve replacement in low-risk patients with symptomatic severe bicuspid aortic valve stenosis.

Background: In 2019, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for low-risk patients with symptomatic severe tricuspid aortic stenosis. However, bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) patients were included only in single-arm registries of pivotal low-risk TAVR trials, resulting in limited data for this subgroup.

Methods: The LRT (Low Risk TAVR) trial was an investigator-initiated, prospective, multicenter study and the first FDA-approved investigational device exemption trial to evaluate the feasibility of TAVR with balloon-expandable or self-expanding valves in low-risk patients with symptomatic severe BAV stenosis.

Access to Specialized Care Across the Lifespan in Tetralogy of Fallot.

Individuals living with tetralogy of Fallot require lifelong specialized congenital heart disease care to monitor for and manage potential late complications. However, access to cardiology care remains a challenge for many patients, as does access to mental health services, dental care, obstetrical care, and other specialties required by this population. Inequities in health care access were highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to exist.

Outcomes of adjunct posterior wall isolation in atrial fibrillation patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices.

Background: Although pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) remains the cornerstone of catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF), several studies have illustrated clinical benefits associated with PVI with posterior wall isolation (PWI).

Methods: This retrospective study investigated the outcomes of PVI alone versus PVI+PWI performed using the cryoballoon in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) and paroxysmal AF (PAF) or persistent AF (PersAF).

Results: Acute PVI was achieved in all patients using cryoballoon ablation.

Lessons learned from experimental models of cerebrovascular aneurysms to improve endocardial device occlusion of the left atrial appendage.

In patients with atrial fibrillation, left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion devices represent an alternative to anticoagulation but are associated with residual peridevice leaks (PDLs) and device-related thrombi (DRT). Similarly, cerebrovascular aneurysms can be treated with coil embolization, but pericoil leaks represent a significant limitation. In experimental models of cerebrovascular aneurysms, endothelial denudation achieved independently with (1) embolization with radioactive coils, (2) mechanical removal of the endothelium, or (3) radiofrequency ablation was dramatically effective in preventing or eliminating pericoil leaks.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Low-Risk Patients With Symptomatic Severe Bicuspid Aortic Valve Stenosis.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical outcomes and transcatheter heart valve hemodynamic parameters after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in low-risk patients with bicuspid aortic stenosis (AS).

Background: TAVR is approved for low-risk patients in the United States. However, patients with bicuspid AS were excluded from the randomized cohorts of the pivotal low-risk trials.

Nine-Month Outcomes of the DURABILITY Iliac Study on Self-Expanding Stents for Symptomatic Peripheral Artery Disease.

Background: The DURABILITY Iliac clinical study evaluated the safety and effectiveness of 2 nitinol self-expanding stents for the treatment of atherosclerotic common and external iliac artery lesions up to 10 cm in length and >50% stenosis in subjects with Rutherford classification peripheral arterial disease stages 2-4.

Methods: DURABILITY Iliac was a prospective, multicenter, core lab adjudicated, nonrandomized clinical study enrolling 75 subjects from 15 sites in the United States and Europe. Clinical follow-up visits were at 30 days, 9 months, and 1, 2, and 3 years after procedure.

Usefulness and safety of ultrasound-assisted catheter-directed thrombolysis for submassive pulmonary emboli.

The optimal treatment for intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) remains unclear. Our goal was to describe the safety and efficacy of the EkoSonic ultrasound-assisted catheter-directed thrombolysis system (EKOS Corporation, Bothell, Washington) in a real-world registry of patients with intermediate-risk PE. Fifty-three consecutive patients with intermediate-risk PE treated with ultrasound-assisted catheter-directed thrombolysis at Brigham and Women's Hospital from 2010 to 2014 were analyzed.

Effective endovascular treatment of calcified femoropopliteal disease with directional atherectomy and distal embolic protection: final results of the DEFINITIVE Ca⁺⁺ trial.

Objectives: The purpose of the DEFINITIVE Ca(++) study was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of directional atherectomy and distal embolic protection, used together to treat moderate to severely calcified femoropopliteal lesions.

Background: Despite advances in endovascular treatment modalities, treatment of calcified lesions remains a challenge.

Methods: A total of 133 subjects with 168 moderate to severely calcified lesions were enrolled.

Use of the Impella 2.5 in high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention.

The Impella 2.5 is a percutaneously placed partial circulatory assist device that is increasingly being used in high-risk coronary interventional procedures to provide hemodynamic support. The Impella 2.

Don't ignore that call for posters!

Participating in a conference poster session is an effective way to share information about clinical practice. This column offers some practical tips to help with the process of developing a visually appealing and informative poster.