Chronic total occlusions (CTOs) account for approximately 15-20% of patients with stable coronary artery disease. This field has seen various advances regarding treatment, leading to an improvement in the success rate of procedures. According to registries and randomized studies, the main indication for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of CTO should be based more on clinical…
ABSORB IV – Improving Bioresorbable Scaffolds: A Long Road
5-year followup of bioresorbable scaffolds in selected and better prepared lesions (ABSORB IV). Historically, when comparing previously used therapies, such as conventional balloon angioplasty (BA) against bare metal stent (BMS) and later against drug eluting stent (DES) implantation, we see significantly improved outcomes. These advances have shown reduced recoil and more effective restenosis inhibition, compared…
What Is the Prognosis of an Acute Myocardial Infarction in the Presence of Moderate Aortic Stenosis?
Aortic stenosis (AS) is a common condition that shares risk factors with coronary artery disease. Many patients can suffer from both diseases simultaneously, something that increases the risk of acute myocardial infarction in the presence of aortic stenosis. AS can cause ischemia even in the absence of coronary artery disease, due to ventricular hypertrophy, increased…
Abbreviated Therapy in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome: How Safe Is Conservative DAPT Treatment?
Abbreviated dual antiplatelet therapy in patients at high risk for bleeding and acute myocardial infarction. Patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who undergo stent placement (percutaneous coronary intervention, PCI) conventionally require at least 12 months of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) to reduce ischemic events. Patients with ACS who are also at high risk for bleeding…
EuroPCR 2023 | Provisional Stenting is Still the First Choice
The EBC TWO in Non-LM study randomized 200 patients with bifurcation lesions not affecting the left main coronary artery (LCA) to receive provisional stenting vs. culotte (Norobi stent). The secondary branch had to have a diameter ≥2.5 mm and a lesion length >5 mm. The crossover of those who received provisional stenting to the two-stent strategy was 16%.…
EuroPCR 2023 | iFR vs FFR Guided Revascularization in Left Main De Novo Lesions
Acute coronary syndrome guidelines recommend the use of iFR and FFR guided invasive management for patients with high risk ischemia regardless medical treatment. However, iFR and FFR they are often considered exchangeable. Prior literature has shown there can be a discrepancy of around 20% between these techniques when it comes to revascularization outcomes. Choosing the…
EuroPCR 2023 | KISS: Provisional Stenting in Bifurcations
Provisional stenting is the most frequent strategy and the most recommended in the treatment of bifurcations, even though in some situations the two-step kiss technique is prioritized, seeing as it offers the benefit of better rheology, less side branch occlusion, less periprocedural injury, better angina control and less restenosis. It included patients with de novo bifurcation…
EuroPCR 2023 | EBC Two – Provisional Stenting vs Culotte in Bifurcations
MD Sandeep Arunothayaraj presented the 5-year followup of EBC Two (which had not previously shown significant differences in clinical outcomes at 12 months) in patients randomized to provisional stenting vs. systematic culotte in bifurcations that were not left main. The study followed up 200 patients with true bifurcations, side branch ≥2.5mm and lesion length ≥5mm,…
Mechanical Aspiration in ST Elevation ACS
In ST elevation ACS the preferred treatment is primary PCI. However, one its limitations is thrombus presence and its distal embolization, which threatens microcirculation perfusion and is therefore associated to ventricular function deterioration and bad evolution. Manual thrombus aspiration has been tested in different studies but the problem remains unsolved; mechanical thrombectomy might be a…
ACC 2023 | Subanalysis of the REVIVED-BICS Study2
This study demonstrated that coronary angioplasty does not entail any benefit in chronic stable angina over optimal medical therapy in those with impaired ventricular function (EF >35%) with extensive coronary artery disease and viable myocardium. Dr. Divaka Perera performed a subanalysis of said study. At the time of the study, the amount of viability and…
ACC 2023 | Complete Revascularization Strategies in patients with ACS and Multivessel Disease
In patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and multivessel disease, complete revascularization is associated with better clinical outcomes. However, for non-culprit vessel revascularization the strategy remains unclear. The aim of this multicenter, open label, randomized, non-inferiority study, was to determine whether complete revascularization during index procedure is non inferior vs. staged. Primary end point was…