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Background: Manual coronary thrombus aspiration was associated with improved outcomes of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. We aimed to evaluate the outcome of aspiration in a "real-world" setting of primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI)., Methods and Materials: We analyzed the outcome of STEMI patients who underwent PPCI (initial Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction flow grade 0/1), comparing patients who underwent aspiration (ASP) to those who had standard (STD) therapy. Various subgroups outcomes were further analyzed. Clinical end points included mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) at 30 days and at 1 year., Results: One thousand thirty-five consecutive patients were included: 189 (18.26%) with ASP and 846 (81.74%) with STD. ASP patients were younger (58±12 vs. 61±13, P<.05) and had higher incidence of direct stenting compared to STD patients (34% vs. 16.7%, P<.05). No significant differences were noted in the outcome of ASP vs. STD at 30 days (mortality rate 4.2% vs. 4.5%, P=.9; MACE 6.9% vs. 9.8%, P=.2) and at 1 year (mortality rate 8.0% vs. 8.3%, P=.9; MACE 20.0% vs. 22.3%, P=.5). A significant advantage in favor of ASP was evident in patients with proximal culprit lesions, anterior infarcts, and right ventricular involvement., Conclusions: Although this was largely a negative study, when STEMI involved a large jeopardized myocardium, aspiration was associated with sustained improved clinical outcomes., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The ACIST injection system is an automatic power injection device that allows for online control of injection rate and volume of contrast. Limited data is available whether this technology allows reducing use of contrast and fluoroscopy time. Accordingly, we compared the use of this system to manual injection among 450 consecutive patients who underwent diagnostic coronary angiography and/or angioplasty who were randomly assigned to either manual contrast injection (control; n=198) or to the ACIST system (study group; n=252). The amount of contrast, fluoroscopy and total procedural times were recorded for each patient. In the diagnostic group, the mean total amount of contrast (including wasted) was reduced by 63% when the ACIST was used compared to control (100+/-42 ml versus 163+/-56 ml; P<0.001, respectively). When only the net amount of contrast delivered to the patient was considered, the differences were smaller (20%, P=0.004). During angioplasty, the amount of contrast was also lower in the ACIST group (206+/-65 versus 230+/-69, P=0.008), whereas no difference were noted in net amount of contrast. Fluoroscopy time was significantly shorter in the ACIST group compared to control both during diagnostic catheterization (4.7+/-3.5 min versus 6.3+/-5.5 min, respectively; P=0.014), and angioplasty (16.7+/-9.1 min versus 19.6+/-12.4 min, respectively; P=0.05). Routine utilization of the ACIST system during diagnostic and interventional procedure significantly reduced the total amount of contrast media used and fluoroscopy time.

Background: Cardiogenic shock (CS) is a dreadful complication of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) associated with a poor prognosis. Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is widely recommended by current treatment guidelines., Aim: To evaluate the in-hospital and 30-day mortality rate and to determine independent predictors of mortality in a cohort of unselected consecutive patients with CS., Methods and Results: Rabin Medical Center cardiac catheterization laboratory database was analyzed between 1/2000 and 8/2003. Fifty of the 472 patients (10.6%) treated using emergent PCI for AMI had cardiogenic shock on presentation. Patients with cardiogenic shock were older, more likely to be female and with higher frequency of co-morbidities. The time from symptom onset until seeking medical treatment was longer in cardiogenic shock patients. In-hospital mortality rate was 48.0% in the cardiogenic shock group as compared to 3.3% in the non-cardiogenic shock group (P<0.0001). In patients with shock, total mortality after 30 days was 52% (26/50). Most of these patients (25/26) died within 48 hours following admission because of refractory cardiogenic shock. A multivariate analysis adjusted for baseline differences showed that age 75 years (odds ratio [OR]: 11; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.0-1.24, P=0.05), and the use of GP 2b/3a antagonist (OR: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.95-1.0, P=0.05), were independent predictors of all cause mortality at 30 days., Conclusion: Cardiogenic shock remains an important cause of mortality in AMI. Younger age and the use of GP 2b/3a antagonists during primary PCI for cardiogenic shock patients seems to be associated with better clinical outcomes.

The role of small molecules anti-glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa pharmacotherapy during acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has not been established. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of patients sustaining AMI who underwent emergent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and who were distinguished by the use of the anti-GP IIb/IIIa agent eptifibatide. We studied a consecutive group of 216 patients who underwent PCI for acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction and compared the outcomes of patients who received eptifibatide just prior and following the procedure (n=167) to those who were not on anti GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors (n=49). On average, patients treated using eptifibatide were younger and were more likely to be men, hypertensive, and smokers. The eptifibatide treated patients were less likely to have diabetes and renal failure and had worse angiographic characteristics. There were no significant differences between the groups in any of the clinical outcomes, including the composite endpoint (e.g. death, MI, repeat revascularization) and the rate of sub-acute stent thrombosis. Nonetheless, there was a non-significant trend towards lower 30 day mortality in the eptifibatide group (4.8% versus 12%, P=0.09). We concluded that in our comparative study of periprocedural administration of eptifibatide during emergent AMI angioplasty, there was a non-significant trend towards better short-term survival among eptifibatide treated patients although the composite endpoint did not differ between patients distinguished by the use of anti GP IIb/IIIa small molecule pharmacotherapy.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate two different stent placement techniques for bifurcation lesions: 1) stenting of the main branch and balloon dilatation of the sidebranch versus 2) stenting of both branches., Background: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of coronary bifurcation lesions remains challenging, and limited information is available regarding whether stent placement is necessary in both branches of the bifurcation using bare-metal stents. Methods. We prospectively followed all patients who underwent PCI for symptomatic bifurcation lesions at our center. All patients were carefully followed for subsequent clinical events., Results: Between March 2001 and November 2002, a total of 50 patients were treated with either stenting of both vessels (double stent group; n = 32) or stenting of the parent vessel and balloon angioplasty of the sidebranch (single stent group; n = 18). Optimal angiographic success was 87.5% in the single stent group and 100% in the double stent group (p = 0.1). The post-procedure percent diameter stenosis of the sidebranch vessel was significantly higher in the single stent group (18 +/- 25% versus 4 +/- 8%; p = 0.005). At 6 months, the incidence of clinically driven repeat target lesion revascularization was 37.6% with 2 stents as compared to 5.6% using 1 stent (p = 0.01). Angiographic restenosis was documented in 40.6% using 2 bifurcation stents, as compared to 11% when using 1 stent (p = 0.05). By multivariable analysis adjusted for baseline differences, stenting the sidebranch was a borderline predictor for major adverse cardiac events at 6 months (odds ratio = 10.3; 95% confidence interval, 0.9-116; p = 0.053)., Conclusion: For the treatment of true bifurcation lesions, a strategy of stenting both vessels using bare metal stents seems to be associated with worse long-term results, as compared to stenting only the parent vessel.

We prospectively followed 238 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention for acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction and compared the outcomes of patients who received heparin-coated stents (n = 124) with those of patients who received noncoated stents (n = 114). The clinical characteristics and adjunctive medications of the 2 groups were similar. The use of heparin-coated stents was associated with improved 30-day outcome but had no significant effect on 180-day outcome.

Background: Distal embolization during coronary angioplasty may result in vessel occlusion, no reflow and myonecrosis. This study tested the authors' clinical experiences using a guidewire system designed to preserve distal flow during angioplasty., Methods and Results: The FilterWire EX trade mark (Boston Scientific, Natick, MA, USA) consists of a 0.014-inch guidewire on which an expandable loop structure is attached to a porous polyurethane membrane. The assembly is delivered across the target lesion, followed by deployment of the filter distal to the lesion. Procedural and angiographic outcome data were obtained from patients undergoing saphenous vein grafts (SVGs) (n = 16) or native coronary (n = 4) interventions. The mean age was 62 +/- 10 years. All four patients with native coronary lesions sustained acute myocardial infarction while 15/16 patients with degenerated SVGs presented with accelerated angina pectoris. The mean proximal reference diameter was 3.62 +/- 0.32 mm, percentage diameter stenosis was 72 +/- 13%, and lesion length was 16.3 +/- 5.7 mm. Angiographic visible thrombus was detected in 12/20 (60%) cases. Stents were used in 19/20 patients (95%) with average stent diameter/length equal to 3.81 +/- 0.42/23 +/- 7 mm. Overall procedural success was obtained in 93.3% as no-reflow and total CK elevation occurred in 1/16 treated patients (6.7%) despite distal embolic filtration. In-hospital and 30-day survival was 100% with no episodes of target vessel thrombosis and/or myocardial infarction., Conclusions: The use of the FilterWire EX seems to be feasible and safe in suitable lesion subsets and in relatively large-sized vessels among patients who are at high risk for distal embolization.

Background: Arterial access site management after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a matter of increasing importance in this era of potent antiplatelet pharmacotherapy. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of a 6 French (Fr) Perclose suturing device in achieving rapid hemostasis of the access site after PCI and thus improving patient comfort., Methods: The 6 Fr Perclose (Prostar) device consists of a suture-based closure device delivered via introducer sheath designed for suturing of the arteriotomy puncture site. Over a 3-month period, the device was used in 48 consecutive PCI treated patients (age, 62 13 years; 70% male; 44% post myocardial infarction) and in-hospital groin complication rate was compared to 48 consecutive patients (age, 64 12 years; 64% male; 33% post myocardial infarction) who had manual compression hemostasis., Results: Antiplatelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonists were used more frequently during and following the procedure in 58% of Perclose-treated patients versus 42% of the manual compression group (p = 0.019). Leg immobilization duration was 3 4 hours in all patients sutured by the device; in patients with manual compression, the sheath was removed at an average of 4.8 2.5 hours after termination of the PCI and an additional 6 hours of leg immobilization were subsequently required. No difference in overall major complication rate was found between groups (6.2% in suture-mediated patients versus 9.3% in manual compression group; p = 0.60). In 3 patients (6.2%) treated using the device, adjunctive manual compression was required in addition to groin suturing due to technical failure or residual oozing from the arteriotomy site., Conclusion: The 6 Fr Perclose device can be safely used to achieve rapid hemostasis and the device may hasten bed mobilization of PCI-treated patients despite frequent use of potent antiplatelet pharmacotherapy during coronary interventions.