Invasive functional measurement of intermediate lesions has become the gold standard to define revascularization. Due to its favorable long-term prognostic value, fractional flow reserve (FFR) is the reference used to compare all others. Recently, new nonhyperemic indexes, measured in a specific diastolic period, have emerged. Among them, the one with the most accumulated evidence is…
TCT 2020 | Our Next Goal Should Be Using IVUS Guidance in Every Angioplasty
The benefits of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) guidance in all angioplasties with second-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) persist through 3 years of follow-up. These data derive from the extended follow-up of the ULTIMATE study, presented virtually at TCT 2020 and published simultaneously in JACC Intv. At 3 years, target-vessel failure remained lower in patients whose angioplasty was guided by…
TCT 2020 | Ticagrelor Monotherapy After ST-Segment Elevation Infarction
Ticagrelor monotherapy after 3 months of dual antiplatelet therapy in patients who experienced ST-segment elevation infarction significantly reduces major bleeding without increasing ischemic risk. This pre-specified analysis of the TICO study shows that ticagrelor monotherapy is safe even in patients with higher ischemic risk. Interrupting aspirin use after 3 months of dual antiplatelet therapy and continuing treatment…
TCT 2020 | Efficacy of Cerebral Protection Device TriGUARD 3 During TAVR
Cerebral protection device TriGUARD 3, designed to cover all supra-aortic vessels during transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), is safe to use, according to the outcomes of the REFLECT II study. The technical feasibility of the device, which requires transfemoral access, does not seem to have an impact over clinical events. The primary safety endpoint was a VARC-2-defined…
TCT 2020 | Initial Studies Show Incredible Results with Lithotripsy in Calcified Lesions
Intravascular coronary lithotripsy shows promise for the improvement of angioplasty in severely calcified lesions, according to data from the DISRUPT CAD III study, published in JACC and simultaneously presented at the TCT 2020 Congress. Calcification in all patients enrolled was highly severe, with an average length of 48 mm, and side-branch involvement in 30% of cases. Lithotripsy,…
TCT 2020 | Fewer Symptoms and Events when Optimizing with iFR
Symptomatic patients undergoing PCI with no residual ischemia confirmed by iFR have superior symptom improvement at one year vs. patients who did not receive the optimization. In addition to symptoms, patients receiving iFR optimization (final value ≥ 0.95) presented lower cardiac mortality, spontaneous MI or clinically justified revascularization vs. patients with <0.95 final value. …
TCT 2020 | The Myth of Biodegradable Polymers Seems to Have Come to an End
This is the largest and newest study to compare drug eluting stents with durable polymers vs. biodegradable or bioresorbable polymers. As is usually the case, the theory clashes with reality. The study has shown that the polymer does not seem to play an important role in the performance of drug eluting stents, or at least…
TCT 2020 | New Information about Pre and Post PCI FFR Value
The TARGET FFR and DEFINE-FLOW studies were presented at TCT 2020 which have offer a deeper perspective on the value of FFR, not only before but also after PCI. TARGET FFR The TARGET FFR included 260 patients randomized after angiographically successful PCI to an FFR guided optimization vs. blinded FFR assessment strategies. In the guided…
TCT 2020 | Xience in Favor of Short Dual Antiaggregation Therapy with High Bleeding Risk
Following with aspirin alone after a short period of dual antiaggregation therapy (DAPT), 1 to 3 months, did not increase ischemic events in patients receiving a Xience stent while significantly reducing bleeding. This study endorses the safety of short DAPT with contemporary drug eluting stents (DES) in patients presenting high bleeding risk. The XIENCE Short…
TCT 2020 | Crushed Prasugrel Administration prior PCI
Prehospital administration of crushed tablets of prasugrel loading dose in the ambulance while patient is on his way to primary PCI does not improve reperfusion markers compared against uncrushed tablet administration according to the COMPARE CRUSH, presented at the virtual TCT 2020 and simultaneously published in Circulation. There were no differences in TIMI flow of…