Original title: The Negative Impact of Incomplete Angiographic Revascularization on Clinical Outcomes and Its Association With Total Occlusions. The SYNTAX (Synergy Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with Taxus and Cardiac Surgery) Trial. Reference: Vasim Farooq et al. J Am Coll Cardiol 2013;61:282–94 In patients with complex coronary artery disease who underwent coronary artery bypass surgery, (CABG), or percutaneous transluminal...
Original title: Comparison of fenestrated endovascular and open repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms not suitable for standard endovascular repair. Reference: Rana Canavati et al. J Vasc Surg 2013;57:362-7. Studies in patients with infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm that could receive a standard stent versus conventional surgery, showed reduced perioperative mortality with endovascular treatment. However, these same results in patients...
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...
Reference: Afilalo J, RAsti M, Ohayon SM, et al. Off-pump vs on-pump coronary artery bypass surgery: an updated meta-analysis and meta-reggresion of randomized trials. Eur Heart J 2011. Epub ahead of print. Patients who undergo off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery experience nearly one-third fewer postoperative strokes than those who receive standard surgery using cardiopulmonary...
Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) has been associated with worse survival and hospitalization for cardiac failure (CF). The current guidelines recommend surgery as treatment, despite its 8 – 15% 30-day mortality rate. And there is no mention of a transcatheter intervention, especially for patients with severe TR and right ventricular deterioration. Several percutaneous intervention devices have recently...
Degenerative mitral valve regurgitation affects the mitral apparatus and is related to severe insufficiency. At present, surgery is the treatment of choice for patients at low risk. Oftentimes, this disease affects the elderly and/or those at high surgical risk, edge-to-edge repair being an excellent treatment alternative. We all know that the different stages of ventricular...
Untreated tricuspid regurgitation (TR) has been associated to high morbimortality. Surgical treatment of isolated severe TR is complex and carries a high mortality rate. A transcatheter treatment of this valve is currently being developed, and different concepts are being applied to the new devices. Even though most TR is secondary, atrial functional tricuspid regurgitation (A-FTR)...
Severe mitral valve insufficiency (MI) has been associated to the progressive deterioration of left ventricular function, cardiac and kidney failure, and increased mortality. Complete medical treatment at maximal doses and surgery are indicated. For those at high risk or those with ventricular function deterioration, edge-to-edge repair has been shown an excellent alternative. The use of...
The world population is aging, and cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in Western countries. It is increasingly common to find patients aged 70 or older with non-ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). However, this group has been excluded from most studies, and there is not enough information to determine whether a conservative...
While transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has shown benefits, significant coronary artery disease affects 50% or more of patients who undergo such procedure. However, it is still unclear which is the best treatment strategy or how to handle this condition. Quantitative flow ratio (QFR) could be a non-invasive option to assess the severity of coronary...