1- Long-Term Foramen Ovale Closure after Cryptogenic Stroke
Patent foramen ovale closure is the standard treatment for cryptogenic stroke patients. However, there are is little information on its long-term evolution.
2- Descending Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms: Is There a New Plan A?
The last available evidence suggests that open surgery should be the preferred treatment for intact descending thoracic aortic aneurysms. However, this study recently published in J Am Coll Cardiol, seems to have steered the wheel.
3- Outcomes of MAIN-COMPARE: A 10-Year Follow-Up for a Historical Rivalry
Angioplasty and myocardial revascularization surgery have competed over the left main coronary artery for a long time. There may be many points of view involved in the interpretation of trial outcomes. While surgeons consider the left main coronary artery to be suitable for surgery (except when faced with surgical contraindications), interventional cardiologists see the left main coronary artery as feasible for angioplasty, with similar outcomes in hard endpoints such as mortality.
4- Drug-Eluting Stents vs. Balloons While Paclitaxel Is in the Eye of the Storm
Even after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an alert on paclitaxel devices in patients with femoropopliteal artery disease, which caused the interruption of a few ongoing studies, reality indicates that the efficacy of these devices has been proven and that they are still used.
5- In-Hospital Costs and Costs of Complications of Chronic Total Occlusions
Is a chronic total occlusion worth rechanneling? This question can often be found in different studies, all of them with clinical endpoints. This study (soon to be published in J Am Coll Cardiol Intv.) analyzes another aspect: costs, not only derived from materials used for a successful procedure, but also from materials and hospital stay in case of complications.
6- Mitral Valve Repair with MirtaClip Was Feasible and Safe
Transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR) with MitraClip was shown feasible and safe, and therefore a viable option for symptomatic patients with severe mitral valve regurgitation of prohibitive risk. In this regard, the procedure alleviates symptoms, cardiac regurgitation and has a potential benefit on ventricular remodeling. However, many patients presented atrial fibrillation (AF) and mitral valve repair evolution has not been properly analyzed in this group.
7- Lotus Returns with New Strength and the FDA Approval to Compete with Sapien3 and CoreValve Evolut R
After reports of some serious adverse events with first-generation Lotus, the device was pulled off the market—but it was not meant to be left in oblivion. Now, it is back, renewed and with the approval of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to compete directly with the two market leaders (Sapien and CoreValve), which were the only devices approved for the US market so far.
8- TAVR Learning Curve and Volume-Outcomes Relationship Plateau
Every operator keeps track of their cases. Have they reached their potential or are they still learning and improving their technique? After 1000 procedures, can we expect them to have better results than someone that has only done 500?
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