Feasibility of percutaneous coronary intervention via transulnar artery approachin selective patients with coronary heart disease

Objective To probe the clinic feasibility of percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI) via transulnar artery approach (PCI TRU).Methods Fourty patients with unstable ischemic manifestation(male 34,female 6;age 59.3 ±9.10 years)whose radial artery of right hand was thin with a weak pulse that was not suitable to transradial artery PCI while whose ulnar artery was thick with a strong pulse based on their larger diameter in ulnar artery as compared with those in radial artery ( 3.30 ±0.22mm vs 2.43 ±0.33 mm, P <0.05 ) by the investigation of vessel echography,but revesered Allen’s test for radial and ulnar artery was positive,were selected as the subjects for PCI TRU. The radio of ulnar artery versus radial artery was 1.35:1.00 and the time of Allen’s test in ulnar artery side was shorter than that in radial artery side ( 2.70 ±0.36 s vs 4.68 ±0.52s , P <0.05 ) before PCI. The efficiency of PCI TRU was evaluated. The time of manipulative duration for each procedure of PCI TRU was recorded. The time of Allen’s test, luminal diameter (mm) , cross area of vessel lumin (mm 2), blood velocity (Vs max), blood resistance (RI) in ulnar artery and radial artery and the level of blood oxygen in finger (PaO 2、SatO 2) were measured and recorded , respectively , as well were compared quantitatively before and after 1 month of procedure . Results Fourty eight lesion segments of 42 vessels in all patients were angioplasticized successfully via TRU by 6F guiding catheter including 23 segments of type B1 , 14 segments of type B2 and 11 segments of type C. PCI TRU in all of 40 patients was performed successfully. Fourty eight stents were implanted including 2 lesions of intrastent restenosis angioplasticized with cutting balloon technique before re stenting . The average time of manipulative duration of guiding catheters engaging in osicum of target coronary, crossing the vessel lesions of guidewire, dilatation and implantation of stents,and under X ray fluoroscopy were 4.30 ±0.59 min , 2.52 ±0.40min , 2.66 ±0.40 min ,and 25.9 ±0.49 min , respectively, and the total time of the whole procedure was 56.6 ±14.8 min . When the ulnar introducer was taken off, the access site in ulnar artery was suppressed by tourniquet with no bleeding in the access site and no limitation of physical activation under maintaining infusion of heparin immediately after procedure . There was no significant change in the diameter of ulnar artery and the time of Allen’s test after 1 month of PCI procedure as compared with those before procedure ( 3.22 ±0.48mm vs 3.26 ±0.22 mm , P >0.05 ; 2.96 ±0.98 s vs 2.72 ±0.47 s , P >0.05 ). No significant change was found in the parameters of blood velocity , cross area of vessel lumin, blood resistance and the level of blood oxygen in finger after 1 month of PCI procedure. The average total hospital stay was 5.21 ±0.43 days. Following up 1 month, no complications such as occlusion of ulnar artery, abnormal sensitivity and movement disability were found in right hands in all patients.Conclusions The ulnar artery might be selected as one approach of antebrachial artery for PCI in the patients with coronary heart disease whose radial artery was difficulty as access vessels of PCI, while reversed Allen’s test for radial and ulnar artery are positive and the luminal diameter of ulnar artery was larger than that of radial artery.

A comparative study on transradial vs transfemoral artery access for primary percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with acute myocardial infarction

Objective Comparative study on the feasibility,safety and outcome of transradial artery and transfemoral artery access for primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with acute myocardial infarction(AMI).Methods Two hundred and eight patients with AMI episoded within 12 hours, male 159, female 49, age 58.9 ±11.9 (34～88)years, were randomly divided into transradial artery access for primary PCI (TRA pPCI) group of 106 cases and transfemoral artery access for PCI (TFA pPCI) group of 102 cases during Sept, 2000 to Aug, 2002. The protocols of the manipulation duration and the effect for TRA pPCI and TFA pPCI procedures were respectively compared, including the time of transradial artery puncture and the rate of puncture success at first time ; the time of guiding catheter engaging into target coronary ostium; the rate of patence in infarct related artery (IRA); total duration of manipulation and the successful rate.The incidence of complications such as bleeding, vessel injury,thrombi and embolism as well as the average stay of hospitalization between two groups was compared. The status and the incidance of vessel spasm were observed and the effect of medicine administration to prevent from and relieve the vascular spasm was evaluated. The time of Allen’s test before and after TRA pPCI , the inner diameter and the peak of blood velocity of the right and left radial artery were investigated with color Doppler vessel echography as well as the complications of radial artery were followed up 1 month after TRA pPCI procedure. Results Two cases in every TRA pPCI and TFA pPCI groups were crossed over each other because procedure of the transradial or transfemoral access was failure. One handred and six vessels (48 vessels in LAD,22 vessels in LCX and 36 vessels in RCA) associated with 28 vessels of total occlusion in TRA pPCI group and 102 vessels (51 vessels in LAD,18 veesles in LCX and 33 vessels in RCA) with 24 vessels in total occlusion in TFA pPCI group were angioplasticized . The successful rates of the first time puncture in access artery, the re patence IRA and pPCI were similar in TRA pPCI and TFA pPCI groups ( 93.4% vs 96.1% ;100% vs 100%; 96.2% vs 97.1% , P >0.05 ). There were no significant diffierence in the average time of puncture time of access artery ,engaging in target vessels of guiding catheters and the total procedure of PCI between the two groups ( 1.3 ±0.3s vs 1.2 ±0.3s ; 6.0 ±1.6min vs 5.8 ±0.9min ; 49.2 ±24.1min vs 46.5 ± 26.4min , P >0.05 ). The access artery complications such as bleeding ,hematoma and embolism as well the veneous thrombosis in TFA pPCI group were much more than those in TRA pPCI group(p< 0.01 ). Although slight artery spasm of 4.7% cases in TRA pPCI group was happened during the procedure of PCI , the procedure had being continued after administration of medicine to release the spasm. The time of Allen’s test ,diameter and the systolic velocity of blood in daul radial arteries were no significant change before and after pPCI.Conclusions The duration and effect by TRA pPCI for AMI with stable hemodynamics was similar to TFA pPCI. The complications such as of bleeding,vessel injury, thrombi and embolism by TRA pPCI were few, and it was unnecessary to discontinue the anticoagulation medicine. TRA pPCI might be selected as a access vessel for pPCI in AMI patients with stable hemodynamics.

Life-threatening subclavian artery bleeding following percutaneous coronary intervention with stent implantation:A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Vascular complications of transradial percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)are rare and usually occur at the access site below the elbow.Life-threatening vascular complications during transradial PCI therapy,such as vessel perforation and dissection in the brachiocephalic,subclavian,internal mammary,and thyrocervical arteries,are rarely reported.Subclavian artery bleeding is a potentially serious complication of vascular interventional procedures leading to tracheal obstruction,hemothorax,respiratory failure,hemorrhagic shock,and death if not diagnosed early and treated promptly.CASE SUMMARY A male patient with typical angina pectoris underwent coronary angiography and stent implantation.During the procedure,the patient felt pharyngeal pain and tightness,which we mistook for myocardial ischemia.After PCI,swelling in the right neck and supraclavicular area was observed.The patient experienced dyspnea,emergency endotracheal intubation was performed,and then a sudden drop in blood pressure was observed.Ultrasound and contrast-enhanced computed tomography scans demonstrated a cervical hematoma severely compressing the trachea due to subclavian artery bleeding.Brachiocephalic angiography revealed a vascular injury site at the root of the right subclavian artery at the intersection of the right common carotid artery.A covered stent was deployed to the right subclavian artery with successful sealing of the perforation,and a bare stent was implanted in the junction of the right common carotid and brachiocephalic arteries to prevent obstruction of blood flow to the brain.CONCLUSION Subclavian artery bleeding is a lifethreatening complication of PCI.Early prevention,rapid recognition,and prompt treatment may improve the prognosis.

Comparison of Clinical Value between Right Distal Radial Artery Access and Right Radial Artery Access in Patients Undergoing Coronary Angiography or Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Objective:To compare the feasibility and safety between right distal radial artery access and right radial artery access in patients undergoing coronary angiography(CAG)or percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI).Methods:On the basis of arterial access,113 patients who underwent CAG or PCI in Kunshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine between January and October 2018 were divided into two groups:a right distal radial artery group(52 patients)and a right radial artery group(61 patients).We collected general information,the number of puncture attempts,access times,postoperative compression time,and complications.Results:The general characteristics,rate of successful radial artery puncture,and rate of successful catheter placement in the two groups were not different.The right radial artery group had fewer puncture attempts(1.26±0.44 times vs.2.19±0.53 times,P=0.001)and a shorter access time(3.23±0.86 min vs.4.77±1.49 min,P=0.001)than the right distal radial artery group.However,the postoperative compression time in the right distal radial artery group was shorter(3.44±0.9 h vs.7.16±1.21 h,P=0.001).Two cases of bleeding,four cases of hematoma,and one case of artery occlusion in the right radial artery group and one case of hematoma in the right distal artery group occurred before discharge.The rate of total complications in the right distal radial artery group was lower than in the right radial artery group(1.93%vs.11.48%,P=0.048).Conclusion:CAG or PCI through the right distal radial artery is feasible and safe.

Challenging situation of coronary artery anomaly associated with ischemia and/or risk of sudden death

Coronary artery anomaly is known as one of the causes of angina pectoris and sudden death and is an important clinical entity that cannot be overlooked.The incidence of coronary artery anomalies is as low as 1%-2%of the general population,even when the various types are combined.Coronary anomalies are practically challenging when the left and right coronary ostium are not found around their normal positions during coronary angiography with a catheter.If there is atherosclerotic stenosis of the coronary artery with an anomaly and percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)is required,the suitability of the guiding catheter at the entrance and the adequate back up force of the guiding catheter are issues.The level of PCI risk itself should also be considered on a caseby-case basis.In this case,emission computed tomography in the R-1 subtype single coronary artery proved that ischemia occurred in an area where the coronary artery was not visible to the naked eye.Meticulous follow-up would be crucial,because sudden death may occur in single coronary arteries.To prevent atherosclerosis with full efforts is also important,as the authors indicated admirably.

Coronary artery disease and heart failure:Late-breaking trials presented at American Heart Association scientific session 2023

The late-breaking science presented at the 2023 scientific session of the American Heart Association paves the way for future pragmatic trials and provides meaningful information to guide management strategies in coronary artery disease and heart failure(HF).The dapagliflozin in patient with acute myocardial infarction(DAPA-MI)trial showed that dapagliflozin use among patients with acute MI without a history of diabetes mellitus or chronic HF has better cardiometabolic outcomes compared with placebo,with no difference in cardiovascular outcomes.The MINT trial showed that in patients with acute MI and anemia(Hgb<10 g/dL),a liberal transfusion goal(Hgb≥10 g/dL)was not superior to a restrictive strategy(Hgb 7-8 g/dL)with respect to 30-day all-cause death and recurrent MI.The ORBITA-2 trial showed that among patients with stable angina and coronary stenoses causing ischemia on little or no antianginal therapy,percutaneous coronary intervention results in greater improvements in anginal frequency and exercise times compared with a sham procedure.The ARIES-HM3 trial showed that in patients with advanced HF who received a HeartMate 3 levitated left ventricular assist device and were anticoagulated with a vitamin K antagonist,placebo was noninferior to daily aspirin with respect to the composite endpoint of bleeding and thrombotic events at 1 year.The TEAMMATE trial showed that everolimus with low-dose tacrolimus is safe in children and young adults when given≥6 months after cardiac transplantation.Providing patients being treated for HF with reduced ejection fraction(HFrEF)with specific out-of-pocket(OOP)costs for multiple medication options at the time of the clinical encounter may reduce‘contingency planning’and increase the extent to which patients are taking the medications decided upon.The primary outcome,which was cost-informed decisionmaking,defined as the clinician or patient mentioning costs of HFrEF medication,occurred in 49%of encounters with the checklist only control group compared with 68%of encounters in the OOP cost group.

Transradial Versus Transfemoral Approach for Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Elderly Patients in China： A Retrospective Analysis

Objective To compare hospital costs and clinical outcomes between transradial intervention （TRI） and transfemoral intervention （TFI） in elderly patients aged over 65 years. Methods We identified 1229 patients aged over 65 years who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention （PCI） in Fuwai Hospital, Beijing, China, between January 1 and December 31, 2010. Total hospital costs and in-hospital outcomes were compared between TRI and TFI. An inverse probability weighting （IPW） model was introduced to control potential biases. Results Patients who underwent TRI were younger, less often female, more likely to receive PCI for single-vessel lesions, and less likely to undergo the procedure for ostial lesions. TRI was associated with a cost saving of CNY7495 （95%CI： CNY4419-10 420）. Such differences were mainly driven by lower PCI-related costs. TRI patients had shorter length of stay （1.9 days, 95%CI： 1.1-2.7 days）, shorter post-procedural stay （0.7 days, 95%CI： 0.3-1.1 days）, and fewer major adverse cardiac events （adjusted odds ratio = 0.47, 95%CI： 0.31-0.73）. There was no statistical significance in the incidence of post-PCI bleeding between TRI and TFI （P〉0.05）. Such differences remained consistent in clinically relevant subgroups of acute myocardial infarction, acute coronary syndrome, and stable angina. Conclusion The use of TRI in patients aged over 65 years was associated with significantly reduced hospital costs and more favorable clinical outcomes.

Retrospective analysis of exercise capacity in patients with coronary artery disease after percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass graft

Objectives:To describe the current state of exercise capacity as well as to identify its predictors in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) in the mainland of China.Methods:A retrospective study design was employed.We evaluated 230 CAD patients following PCI or CABG in a cardiac rehabilitation center from January 2019 to October 2019.The patients were referred to undergo incremental cardiopulmonary exercise testing with a cycle ergometer.The Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale and the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale were used to evaluate patients' mental health.Statistical analysis was performed using the chi-square test,Fisher's exact test,t-test,Mann-Whitney U test,and binary logistic regression.Results:Among the 230 patients,223 patients demonstrated reduced exercise capacity.Resutlts of the logistic regression analysis showed that anxiety (OR =1.13,95% CI 1.01-1.32,P =0.029) was an independent risk factor for reduced exercise capacity in patients following the PCI or CABG.Conclusions:Exercise capacity of Chinese CAD patients after PCI or CABG was relatively poor.Alleviating symptoms of anxiety and making exercise prescriptions according to the results of the cardiopulmonary exercise test should be considered during the intervention to improve CAD patients' exercise capacity.

Long term outcomes of saphaneous vein graft intervention in elderly patients with prior coronary artery bypass graft

Objectives To investigate the procedure characteristics and long term follow-up ofpercutaneous coronary intervention （PCI） for sa phaneous vein graft （SVG） lesions in the elderly patients. Methods From December 2005 to December 201 l, 84 graft lesions were treated percumneously. Seventeen were located at proximal anastomosis, 48 were located at SVG body, 19 were located at distal anastomosis. Pri mary endpoint was defined as major adverse cardiovascular events （MACE, composite of cardiac death, target vessel revascularization, acute myocardial infarction）. Results The graft age was 6.7 i 4.0 years. Most anastomosis lesions （80.0%） presented within one year post coro-nary artery bypass grafting （CABG）. Proximal anastomosis lesion had the lowest successful rate for PCI compared with graft body and distal anastomosis lesions （70.6% vs. 91.7%, 79.0%, P 〈 0.05）. The distal embolic protection device was used in 19.1% of patients, most frequently used in body graft PCI （29.2%, P 〈 0.01）. The diameter of the stent was smallest in distal anastomosis group （2.9 ±0.4 mm, P 〈 0.05）. The highest post dilatation pressure was required in the proximal anastomosis （17.8 ± 2.7 atm, P 〈 0.05）. The patients were followed up for 24.3 ±16.9 months. MACE occurred in 18.57% of patients. Incidence of MACE was highest among proximal anastomosis PCI （47.1% vs. body graft PCI 16.7%, distal anastomosis PCI 21.1%; P 〈 0.05）. Old myocardial infarction was the predictive factor for the poor clinical outcomes （P〈 0.04）. Conclusions PCI of SVG lesions is feasible with lower success rate. PCI of ostial graft anastomosis lesions had the lowest procedure success rate and highest MACE rate compared with graft body and distal anastomosis lesions. Old myocardial infarction was a predictive factor of poor outcomes.

Percutaneous coronary intervention for ostial lesions of the left main stem in a patient with congenital single left coronary artery: A case report

BACKGROUND Single coronary artery(SCA)originating from a solitary ostium in the aorta and perfusing the entire myocardium is a very rare congenital anomaly of the coronary artery.Furthermore,a right coronary artery(RCA)arising from the mid segment of the left anterior descending artery(LAD)is an extremely uncommon variation of SCA.CASE SUMMARY A 76-year-old woman presented a 5-mo history of exertional angina.Selective coronary angiography revealed an SCA,with severe ostial stenosis that originated from the left sinus of Valsalva and bifurcated normally into the LAD and circumflex coronary artery.In addition,an anomalous RCA originated from the mid segment of the LAD as a separate branch.Successful balloon angioplasty and stenting for the SCA ostial stenosis were performed on the patient.CONCLUSION Percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)of the main trunk for SCA is very similar to PCI of an unprotected left main coronary artery.Although technical difficulties and risks do exist,PCI for severe ostial stenosis of the main trunk is safe and efficacious in selected SCA patients.

Therapeutic effect of interventional therapy for unprotected left main coronary artery lesions in aged patients

Objective To assesse the therapeutic effect of interventional therapy in aged patients with unprotected left main coronary artery （UPLM） lesions. Methods A total of 61 patients who were over 60 years and accepted interventional therapy of UPLM from January 2012 to November 2013 in our hospital were followed up for average 14.6 months by telephone call or outpatient visits. We analyzed the clinical features data of the interventional therapy and assessed the factors that likely influenced the clinical prognosis. Results The average age of the 61 patients was 73.9 years. The average left ventricular ejection fraction （LVEF） was 47.7%. The median of the estimated glomerular filtration rate （eGFR） was 52 mL/min per 1.73 mmz. The average SYNTAX score was 27.4 and the median of stent length was 36 mm. The cumulative incidence of cardiac death at 30 days and major adverse cardiac events （MACE） after one year was 6.6% and 32.5% estimated by Kaplan-Meier plots respectively. No severe hemorrhagic complications were observed during follow-up period. On multivariate regression analysis with a COX proportional hazards model, LVEF was an independent predictor of cardiac death at 30 days [Hazard ratio （HR）： 0.7, P = 0.01]. As for MACE after one year, LVEF and eGFR were both independent predictors （HR： 0.91, P = 0.06 for LVEF, HR： 0.03, P = 0.097 for eGFR）. Conclusions The interventional therapy for UPLM was effective and safe in aged patients. LVEF was the only predictor of cardiac death at 30 days, while LVEF and eGFR were both independent predictors of MACE after one year.

Coronary-Cameral Fistula appeared after coronary artery intervention

A 63-year-old male with old myocardial infarction was referred to cardiology department with cardiac arrest.Electrocardiogram revealed Q wave in the precordial leads demonstrating ischemia of anterior left ventricular wall.Mild pulmonary edema was documented on chest X-ray.Transthoracic echocardiography showed severely reduced left ventricular function (EF: 28%) with enlarged left atrium and ventricle.Coronary angiography was performed showing a total occlusion of the proximal portion of the left anterior descending artery (LAD)(Figure 1) with chronic total occlusion in the proximal portion of right coronary artery.Xience stent 2.75 × 23 mm (Abbott) was implanted in the proximal LAD lesion.Coronary angiography after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) revealed no definite coronary fistula (Figure 2).Two weeks later,follow-up coronary angiography demonstrated multiple coronary-left ventricular fistulas (Figure 3) which were absent in the previous angiography.

Impact of baseline smoking status on long-term prognosis of patients with coronary artery disease underwent percutaneous coronary intervention:a large single-center data

Objective This study analyzed a large single-center sample in China to explain the impact of smoking state at baseline on long-term prognosis of coronary artery disease (CAD) patients who received percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Lipoprotein(a)variability is associated with mean follow-up Creactive protein in patients with coronary artery disease following percutaneous coronary intervention

BACKGROUND Increased lipoprotein(a)[lp(a)]has proinflammatory effects,which increase the risk of coronary artery disease.However,the association between lp(a)variability and follow-up C-reactive protein(CRP)level in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)has not been investigated.AIM To explore the association between lp(a)variability and mean CRP levels within the 1st year post-PCI.METHODS Results of lp(a)and CRP measurements from at least three follow-up visits of patients who had received PCI were retrospectively analyzed.Standard deviation(SD),coefficient of variation(CV),and variability independent of the mean(VIM)are presented for the variability for lp(a)and linear regression analysis was conducted to correlate lp(a)variability and mean follow-up CRP level.The relationship of lp(a)variability and inflammation status was analyzed by restricted cubic spline analysis.Finally,exploratory analysis was performed to test the consistency of results in different populations.RESULTS A total of 2712 patients were enrolled.Patients with higher variability of lp(a)had a higher level of mean follow-up CRP(P<0.001).lp(a)variability was positively correlated with the mean follow-up CRP(SD:β=0.023,P<0.001;CV:β=0.929,P<0.001;VIM:β=1.648,P<0.001)by multivariable linear regression analysis.Exploratory analysis showed that the positive association remained consistent in most subpopulations.CONCLUSION Lp(a)variability correlated with mean follow-up CRP level and high variability could be considered an independent risk factor for increased post-PCI CRP level.

Fractional flow reserve measured via left internal mammary artery after coronary artery bypass grafting:Two case reports

BACKGROUND The fractional flow reserve(FFR)has made the treatment of coronary heart disease more precise.However,there are few reports on the measurement of FFR via the left internal mammary artery(LIMA).Herein,we described the determination of further treatments by measuring FFR via the LIMA in 2 cases after coronary artery bypass grafting(CABG).CASE SUMMARY Case 1 was a 66-year-old male who was admitted due to“chest tightness after CABG.”The patient underwent CABG 7 years prior due to coronary heart disease.Coronary artery angiography showed complete occlusion of the left anterior descending artery(LAD),and subtotal occlusion of the third segment of the right coronary artery.On arterial angiography,there was 85%stenosis at the distal end of the anastomosis of the LIMA-LAD graft.FFR via LIMA was determined at 0.75.Thus,balloon dilation was performed in Case 1.FFR after balloon dilation was 0.94.Case 2 was a 60-year-old male who was admitted due to“chest tightness after CABG.”The patient underwent CABG 6 years prior due to coronary heart disease.There was 60%segmental stenosis in the middle segment of LAD and 75%anastomotic stenosis.FFR measured via LIMA was 0.83(negative);thus the intervention was not performed.Case 2 was given drug treatments.At the 3-mo follow-up,there was no recurrence of chest tightness or shortness of breath in both cases.They are currently under continual follow-up.CONCLUSION We provided evidence that FFR measurement via grafted blood vessels,especially LIMA,after CABG is a good method to determine the intervention course.

Coronary Artery Perforation Complicated With Acute Aortic Valve Regurgitation During Percutaneous Coronary Intervention:Report of Two Cases

CORONARY artery perforation catastrophic complication （CAP） is a rare, of percutaneous coronary intervention （PCI）. CAP during PCI procedure is invariably associated with high riskpatients with complex coronary artery disease such as coronary calcified lesions, multi-vessel lesions, coronary chronic total occlusion and so on,

Endoscopic Radial Artery Harvest in Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: Clinicopathological Evaluation

Objectives: The radial artery is used as a second arterial conduit in coronary artery bypass surgery. However, concerns exist about the thermal injury incurred to the radial artery during endoscopic harvest. We sought to assess this effect both histologically and radiologically. Methods: From February 2015 to March 2016, 50 consecutive patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery utilizing endoscopically harvested radial artery were prospectively studied. Computerized tomography coronary angiography scan was performed randomly in 8 patients who also had their respective radial artery analyzed histologically at the time of harvest. Standard coronary angiography was also performed in 4 additional patients driven by symptoms recurrence. Results: All patients were available for follow up at 1 year following the surgery. There was no mortality during follow-up. Three patients (6%) developed transient complications in the harvest arm which resolved. All radial arteries were patent on follow-up imaging. Histological examination showed integrity of the arterial wall, intact endothelial lining, patent lumens and no significant pathological abnormalities. Conclusion: The use of endoscopic radial artery harvest was associated with few self-limiting morbidities and excellent patency rates. In addition, there was no evidence of any thermal or traumatic injuries sustained to the radial arteries when examined histologically. The use of endoscopically harvested radial arteries appears safe with excellent results.

High Origin Causes High Hassle—Anomalous Radial Artery Origin Complicating a Radial Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty

Since its initial description as a safe and feasible access route for cardiac catheterization, the radial artery has been increasingly used for percutaneous coronary procedures. The transradial approach for percutaneous coronary procedures has the advantage of reduced adverse vascular events. Nevertheless, there are chances of transradial procedure failure due to variation in radial artery anatomy. We report a case of high radial artery origin in a 63 year-old-male patient who was taken up for elective radial percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty for in-stent restenosis of proximal left anterior descending artery. Subsequently, there was difficulty in negotiating guide wire and balloons, so imaging of radial artery was carried out which clearly demonstrated a high bifurcating radial origin. This case emphasizes the need for imaging of radial artery to delineate underlying anomalies and identifying patients with unfavorable anatomy when technical difficulties are encountered. Imaging in such a situation helps in planning an appropriate strategy.

Percutaneous Coronary Interventional Treatment for Coronary Artery Disease and the Role of Antiplaplatelets Therapy: A Review of the Literature

Uses of balloon catheters or BMS for the treatment of coronary artery lesions shows good short-term results but long-term follow up revealed restenosis in up to 20%-30% of patients. Thus new improvements to balloons and stents are always necessary to achieve the best results from percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Drug-eluting stents (DES) improved the principles of bare metal stents (BMS) by local drug release to inhibit neointimal growth. DES reduced the incidence of in-stent restenosis. These benefits and lower costs compared to surgical treatment make the DES an attractive alternative for the treatment of coronary artery disease. Different components of DES which include the polymers, drugs and the stents underwent progressive evolution, and these led to development of new generations of DES with variable types of drugs and polymers to fully absorbable stents. The concern of stent thrombosis still an issue and dual antiplatlets therapy (DAPT) is mandatory for variable time ranging from one month to one year. This article discusses the main available clinical trials in the developments of BMS, DES and the comparison between both with a prospective look at future technologies in the field, in addition to reviewing the current guideline in the uses of DAPT after PCI.

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Chronic Total Occlusion of Anomalous Right Coronary Artery

Chronic total occlusion of an anomalous right coronary artery arising from left coronary sinus is uncommon. We are describing a case of a 71 years old patient presented with severe chest pain along with exertional dyspnea with an inferior wall myocardial infarction. Coronary angiography showed anomalous right coronary artery originating from left coronary sinus having chronic total occlusion in proximal portion and normal left anterior descending artery and left circumflex artery. We were successful in implanting the two stents at an occlusive region with good angiographic results.