Original title: Characteristics of Ischemic Brain Lesions After Stenting or Endarterectomy for Symptomatic Carotid Artery Stenosis : Results From the International Carotid Stenting Study-Magnetic Resonance Imaging Substudy (ICSS-MRI). Reference: Henrik Gensicke et al. Stroke 2013;44:80-86. This work is a sub-study using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the International Carotid Stenting Study (ICSS) that randomized carotid angioplasty (CAS) or…
Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty (BPA) in patients with Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension
Original title: Refined Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty for Inoperable Patients with Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension. Reference: Hiroki Mizoguchi et al. Circ Cardiovasc Interv. 2012;5:748-755. Patients with Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension (CTE-PH) have bad prognosis. Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy can significantly reduce pulmonary pressure but, due to comorbidity or technical matters (very peripheral thrombi), not all patients are good candidates for this…
Advances in Proximal Occlusion Devices for Carotid Angioplasty and Stenting
Original title: A Meta-Analysis of Proximal Oclusion Device Outcome in Carotid Artery Stenting Reference: Robert M Bersin, et al. Catheterization and Cardiovascular Intervention 80:1072-78 (2012) Carotid Angioplasty and Stenting (CAS) is considered a valid alternative to treat high risk patients. Embolic protection devices have been proved effective and currently there are two EPDs available: proximal occlusion and distal…
The largest series of abdominal aortic aneurysm with unfavorable neck anatomy
Original title: Outcomes of Endovascular Aneurysm Repair in Patients with Hostile Neck Anatomy Reference: Stather et al. European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery 44 (2012) 556-561. Endovascular treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (EVAR) has already shown benefits in terms of mortality compared with conventional surgery. The disadvantages of EVAR are reinterventions for endoleaks, migration or device failure…
Are reversal flow cerebral protection devices useful in carotid angioplasty?
Original title: Prospective, Multicenter European Study of the GORE Flor Reversal System for Providing Neuroprotection During Carotid Artery Stenting Reference: Dimitrios Nikas, et, al.Catheterization and Cardiovascular Intervention 80:1060-1068 Cerebral protection systems (CPS) have proved useful in carotid angioplasty stenting (CAS), although it is not clear what the advantages are in respect to carotid endarterectomy, except in high risk…
Venous Angioplasty in Multiple Sclerosis
Original title: Disability caused by multiple sclerosis is associated with the number of extra cranial venous stenoses: possible improvement by venous angioplasty. Results of a prospective study. Reference: M Denislic et al. Phlebology, doi: 10.1258/phleb.2012.012065. Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is considered a chronic inflammatory disease, progressive and immuno-mediated, demyelinating of the central nervous system. Its primary cause is still…
Endovascular Repair of Abdominal Aorta, lower mortality rates than conventional open surgery in younger than 70.
Original title: Long Term Comparison of Endovascular and Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (OVER TRIAL) Reference: Frank A. Lederle, et al. NEJM 367;24:1988-1997 Randomized studies had shown that the endovascular approach reduces mortality, yet its long term evolution remained a concern. The aim of this study was to analyze long term evolution of EVAR device implantation vs. conventional…
Cilostazol reduces restenosis in infrapopliteal angioplasty
Original title: Impact of Cilostazol on Angiographic Restenosis after Balloon Angioplasty for Infrapopliteal Artery Disease in Patients with Critical Limb Ischemia Reference: Y. Soga et al. European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery 44 (2012) 577e581. Angioplasty is regularly used for patients with critical limb ischemia where restenosis is a great limitation, especially in infrapopliteal territory. The use…
Angioplasty for the erectile dysfunction
Original title: Zotarolimus-Eluting Peripheral Stents for the Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction in Subjects With Suboptimal Response to Phosphodiesterase-5 Inhibitors. Reference: Jason H. Rogers et al. J Am Coll Cardiol 2012. Article in press Up to 52% of men between 40 – 70 years old present some degree of erectile dysfunction, and 50% of these men get a suboptimal…
Risk Score for carotid angioplasty
Original title: Risk Prediction for Adverse Events After Carotid Artery Stenting in Higher Surgical Risk Patients Reference: Neil J. Wimmer et al. 2012;43: 3218-3224 Stroke. There are many patients with high surgical risk for carotid endarterectomy, either because of unfavorable anatomy, comorbidities or both. In this situation carotid angioplasty is a therapeutic option. However, no score has been…
Plug versus coils for embolization of the internal iliac artery stent implantation.
Original title: Comparison of outcomes with coils versus vascular plug embolization of the internal iliac artery for endovascular aortoiliac aneurysm repair. Reference: Evan J. Ryer et al. J Vasc Surg 2012;56:1239-45 20% of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) present a compromise of the common distal iliac artery, these often require the stent to cover up to the…