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BACKGROUND Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has revolutionized management of high-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis. However, survival and the incidence of severe complications have been assessed in relatively small populations and/or with limited follow-up. OBJECTIVES This report details late clinical outcome and its determinants in the FRANCE-2 (FRench Aortic National CoreValve and Edwards) registry. METHODS The FRANCE-2 registry prospectively included all TAVRs performed in France. Follow-up was scheduled at 30 days, at 6 months, and annually from 1 to 5 years. Standardized VARC (Valve Academic Research Consortium) outcome definitions were used. RESULTS A total of 4,201 patients were enrolled between January 2010 and January 2012 in 34 centers. Approaches were transarterial (transfemoral 73%, transapical 18%, subclavian 6%, and transaortic or transcarotid 3%) or, in 18% of patients, transapical. Median follow-up was 3.8 years. Vital status was available for 97.2% of patients at 3 years. The 3-year all-cause mortality was 42.0% and cardiovascular mortality was 17.5%. In a multivariate model, predictors of 3-year all-cause mortality were male sex (p = 2 of 4 (p < 0.001). Severe events according to VARC criteria occurred mainly during the first month and subsequently in < 2% of patients/year. Mean gradient, valve area, and residual aortic regurgitation were stable during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS The FRANCE-2 registry represents the largest database available on late results of TAVR. Late mortality is largely related to noncardiac causes. Incidence rates of severe events are low after the first month. Valve performance remains stable over time. (J Am Coll Cardiol 2016; 68: 1637-47) (C) 2016 by the American College of Cardiology Foundation.

Treatment of bifurcation lesions remains a technical challenge. Among 13 stents previously tested in a bench study, the Bestent seemed of particular interest in this indication as it provided good access to the side branch after stent implantation in the main branch associated with a satisfactory coverage of the lesion after kissing balloon inflation. The use of Bestent implanted in the main branch or both branches for treatment of bifurcation lesions involving a side branch > or = 2.2 mm in diameter was prospectively evaluated in a dual-center prospective study with a prospective 6-month clinical follow-up. All angiographic documents were analyzed by an independent corelab (CORISIS). Between 11 September 1997 and 21 February 1998, 96 patients were consecutively included (mean age, 63.7 +/- 11.4 years; 81.3% male; 58.3% with unstable angina and 6.3% acute myocardial infarction). The lesion involved the left anterior descending-diagonal coronary bifurcation in 55% of cases, left circumflex-marginal 23%, posterior descending-postero-lateral 12%, distal left main 6%, and others 4%. The main branch (proximal reference diameter: 3.43 +/- 0.45 mm) was stented in 98% of cases and the side branch (2.72 +/- 0.38 mm) in 38% (both branches in 34% of cases). T-stenting or provisional T-stenting was used in 88% of cases and final kissing balloon inflation was performed in 78% of cases. Procedural success was obtained in 100% of cases in the main branch and 98% in both branches. Major cardiac and cerebral events (MACCE) during hospitalization occurred in 4.2% of cases, non-Q-wave myocardial infarction (MI) in 3.1%, Q-wave MI in 1.0%, repeat PTCA in 2.1%; there were no major access site complication, no emergency coronary artery bypass grafting operation, no death. At 6-month follow-up, total MACCE rate was 14.6% (Q-wave MI, 3.1%; non-Q-wave MI, 3.1%; target vessel revascularization, 9.4%; death, 2.1%). Patients with target vessel revascularization (TVR) had restenosis of both branches in 22.2% of cases, main branch in 22.2%, and side branch in 55.6%. This study shows that using a simple strategy of provisional T-stenting of the side branch in the majority of cases, the Bestent can be used for treating bifurcation lesions with a high rate of success and an acceptable rate of TVR at 6-month follow-up.

A 50-year-old man, who is an active smoker without a previous medical history, was admitted for recent dyspnea (New York Heart Association functional class III) and an episode of exertional syncope. His familial history included the sudden death of his mother at the age of 50. His blood pressure was 123/90 mm Hg; heart rate, 80 beats/min; peripheral oxygen saturation, 95%; and clinical examination found a prominent pulmonary component of S2, jugular vein distension, and normal lung sounds. His ECG showed complete right bundle-branch block. Chest radiography showed central pulmonary artery, right atrium, and ventricle enlargements without major abnormalities of pulmonary parenchyma (Figure 1). Brain natriuretic peptide was 758 pg/mL (normal

textabstractAims: To demonstrate the acute and early outcomes of the novel Nile PAX dedicated polymer-free paclitaxel-coated stents (Minvasys SAS, Gennevilliers, France) in the treatment of de novo coronary bifurcation lesions. Methods and results: The Nile PAX device incorporates a cobalt-chromium alloy with a side aperture in the mid-stent designed to optimise scaffold at the bifurcation carina and side branch (SB) ostium, while maintaining SB access during procedure. From December 2008 to February 2010, 101 patients were prospectively enrolled in a non-randomised, multicentre study. Lesion criteria were: vessel size 2.5-3.5 mm in the parent vessel (PV) and 2.0-3.0 mm in the SB, and lesion length

Aims: To evaluate the safety and long-term efficacy of a true dedicated bifurcation bare metal stent (DBS) for the treatment of bifurcation coronary artery lesions. Methods and results: Thirty-four patients were enrolled in this prospective multicentre study. The majority of culprit lesions were located on the left anterior descending artery/diagonal bifurcation (n=19) followed by the distal protected left main (n=7), the left circumflex artery/obtuse marginal (n=4) and the distal right coronary artery/posterior descending artery (n=4). Successful delivery of the DBS stent at the bifurcation site was achieved in 32 patients (94%). Angiographic follow-up at six months was complete in 29 patients (91%). Clinical follow up was achieved at five years in all DBS patients. There were no cardiac deaths or stent thrombosis. At six months, the MACE rate was 6/32 (19%) and the total binary restenosis rate was 10/29 (34%). MACE at 5 years consisted only in target vessel revascularisation and occurred in eight patients (25%). Conclusions: The DBS bare metal true bifurcated stent can be delivered successfully and safely in selected bifurcated lesions and has demonstrated long-term efficacy in most patients.

Diagnosis of patent foramen ovale (PFO) is commonly made by echocardiography with contrast injection. PFO can be responsible for a transient right-to-left shunting with paroxysmal dyspnoea but punctual measurements of oxygen saturation may fail to detect arterial desaturations. Thus, claiming the imputability of PFO in dyspnoeic symptoms remains difficult. We report on the case of a 64-year-old man presenting an intermittent disabilitating dyspnoea, for which the pulse oximetry monitoring allowed to impute symptoms to the right-to-left shunting through the PFO and influenced the decision of percutaneous closure.

Treatment of bifurcation lesions remains a technical challenge. Among 13 stents previously tested in a bench study, the Bestent seemed of particular interest in this indication as it provided good access to the side branch after stent implantation in the main branch associated with a satisfactory coverage of the lesion after kissing balloon inflation. The use of Bestent implanted in the main branch or both branches for treatment of bifurcation lesions involving a side branchor = 2.2 mm in diameter was prospectively evaluated in a dual-center prospective study with a prospective 6-month clinical follow-up. All angiographic documents were analyzed by an independent corelab (CORISIS). Between 11 September 1997 and 21 February 1998, 96 patients were consecutively included (mean age, 63.7 +/- 11.4 years; 81.3% male; 58.3% with unstable angina and 6.3% acute myocardial infarction). The lesion involved the left anterior descending-diagonal coronary bifurcation in 55% of cases, left circumflex-marginal 23%, posterior descending-postero-lateral 12%, distal left main 6%, and others 4%. The main branch (proximal reference diameter: 3.43 +/- 0.45 mm) was stented in 98% of cases and the side branch (2.72 +/- 0.38 mm) in 38% (both branches in 34% of cases). T-stenting or provisional T-stenting was used in 88% of cases and final kissing balloon inflation was performed in 78% of cases. Procedural success was obtained in 100% of cases in the main branch and 98% in both branches. Major cardiac and cerebral events (MACCE) during hospitalization occurred in 4.2% of cases, non-Q-wave myocardial infarction (MI) in 3.1%, Q-wave MI in 1.0%, repeat PTCA in 2.1%; there were no major access site complication, no emergency coronary artery bypass grafting operation, no death. At 6-month follow-up, total MACCE rate was 14.6% (Q-wave MI, 3.1%; non-Q-wave MI, 3.1%; target vessel revascularization, 9.4%; death, 2.1%). Patients with target vessel revascularization (TVR) had restenosis of both branches in 22.2% of cases, main branch in 22.2%, and side branch in 55.6%. This study shows that using a simple strategy of provisional T-stenting of the side branch in the majority of cases, the Bestent can be used for treating bifurcation lesions with a high rate of success and an acceptable rate of TVR at 6-month follow-up.

Coronary angioplasty of bifurcation lesions remains a technical challenge. Balloon angioplasty induces recoil and the "snow-plow" effect with a risk of side branch occlusion. The late result is associated with a high rate of reintervention. Randomized studies in nonbifurcated lesions have demonstrated better short- and midterm results after stent placement. We propose the "culotte" technique as a new technique to place intracoronary stents in bifurcation lesions: implantation of 2 similar stents in 2 steps in the main branch and in the side branch with overlapping of the 2 stents in the main branch before bifurcation. We performed this technique in 50 patients (in the left anterior diagonal branch in 33, in the left circumflex obtuse marginal branch in 12, in the right coronary artery in 4, and in the left main coronary artery in 1). The clinical success rate was 94% with 3 non-Q-wave myocardial infarctions. Late results indicated a 24% target lesion revascularization rate, which improved when a true kissing balloon inflation was used to achieve final deployment of both stents. This culotte technique is highly feasible and provides excellent short-term results. Assessment of its midterm benefit requires further study.

A true bifurcated lesion in coronary atherosclerotic disease is present in approximately 15% of patients referred for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).1 The percutaneous approach to this especially complex scenario has been faced in many different ways depending on the techniques available at any particular time.2‐4 In the last few years, the introduction of drug-eluting stents (DES) has remarkably improved the outcome in bifurcation lesions compared with using baremetal stents (BMS), resulting in fewer adverse events and lower main branch (MB) restenosis rates.5‐7 However, the most suitable approach to the side branch (SB) remains uncertain. Although the initial ‘provisional’ stenting technique (i.e. stenting of the SB after MB stenting only in cases of suboptimal or inadequate result) is probably the prevailing approach, the four stent techniques that allow the stenting of both branches (i.e. crush, V, T, culottes) are appealing. However, even if the strategy of stenting both branches when the SB stenosis is suitable for stenting is promising, data in the literature indicate that clinical outcomes are better if routine usage of the two-stent strategy is avoided.8 The introduction of dedicated stents may be supposed to be an attractive strategy for approaching the different types of bifurcation lesion. These stents are specifically designed to provide good deliverability, secured access to the SB and complete coverage of the lesion site without double/triple layers of stent struts. They also incorporate the benefits of drug elution and ensure drug availability to all diseased surfaces. The objective of the observational multicentre Nile Croco Registry was to assess the angiographic and six-month clinical results of a cohort of patients with bifurcation lesions who underwent PCI with dedicated stents.