Transcatheter embolization of congenital coronary arterial fistulas in adults

In this report, we describe our experience with transcatheter occlusion of congenital coronary arterial fistulas in adults. From November 1992 to November 1996, 5 symptomatic patients, aged from 47 to 70 years, underwent transcatheter occlusion of fistulas using a retrograde arterial approach. All had chest pain or dyspnea on exertion. Detachable balloons were used in 4 patients, and Gianturco coils in 1. Detachable balloons were implanted through a Debrun system, while the coils were implanted through a 5 French right coronary Judkins catheter. Both were passed through an 8 French guiding catheter (Amplatz II). Each patient had a single fistula. The fistulas originated from the right coronary artery in 3 patients, and from the circumflex artery in 2. They drained into the pulmonary trunk in 3 patients, into the right atrium in 1, and into a bronchial artery in the other. All fistulas were occluded completely in the catheterization laboratory, and the procedures were uncomplicated. At follow up, 3 patients underwent coronary angiography, and there was no evidence of recanalization. Transcatheter embolization in adults of single congenital coronary fistulas with detachable balloons and coils is safe and effective and can be regarded as an acceptable alternative to surgery.

[Coronary angioplasty using double balloon in artery of large calibre (hugging balloons)]

In this case report the transluminal coronary angioplasty was performed in a oversized right coronary artery with a severe lesion with thrombus inside, using the Hugging balloon technique (two dilatation balloon catheters used simultaneously). This technique achieved minimal residual lesion and had a favorable clinical outcome of the patient.

[Acute occlusion after coronary angioplasty. Early management and late course]

PURPOSE

Assess the efficacy of the different strategies employed in the management of acute closure and verify the late prognosis of patients who develop this complication.

METHODS

From january 1987, through December 1990, 2315 consecutive patients underwent percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) in our Institution. We analyzed 100 patients who had had acute closure of the dilated vessel determining the total incidence of myocardial infarction and death, the effectiveness of the different treatment strategies and clinical and angiographic predictors of poor in-hospital outcome. Late follow-up was obtained in the hospital survivors.

RESULTS

The incidence of acute myocardial infarction in the group of 100 patients was 57%; death occurred in 12% of the patients. Forty-one individuals were referred to emergency bypass surgery, 35 received clinical treatment and 24 underwent redilatation of the vessel. Those managed clinically had a higher incidence of myocardial infarction compared to the ones who underwent either redilatation or surgery (74.3% versus 50% and 48.8%). The in-hospital mortality rate was significantly higher in patients with left ventricular ejection fraction < 45% (44.4%, p < 0.001) and in procedures involving the left anterior descending artery (20%, p < 0.05); patients undergoing repeat dilatation had the lower death rate (4.2% versus 8.6% in the clinical group and 17.1% in the surgical group). Late follow-up was obtained in 65 of 88 hospital survivors (mean follow-up = 17 months). Patients who underwent repeat dilatation were significantly less symptomatic in the follow-up than those who received medical therapy during the acute phase (89% versus 60.9% of patients without symptoms respectively, p < 0.05). Patients who were referred to surgery had also a tendency towards having less symptoms (87.5% of asymptomatic patients in the late follow-up) although the difference was not statistically significant (0.01 > p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Acute coronary occlusion is a serious complication of angioplasty and is associated with high rates of major complications (myocardial infarction, death). Low left ventricular ejection fraction and PTCA involving the left anterior descending are predictors of higher in-hospital mortality in patients with acute closure. Late outcome is less favourable in patients submitted to clinical treatment in the acute phase.

[Nonsurgical treatment of coronary pulmonary arteriovenous fistula]

Fifty eight year old man, with dyspnea, fatigue and progressive angina underwent cinecoronarography, which showed an arterio-venous coronary-pulmonary fistula originating from the circumflex artery to the pulmonary circulation. We decided to occlude it percutaneously, using a detachable balloon technic. The occlusion was accomplished successfully. Clinical evolution was excellent and the follow-up cinecoronarography 6 months later showed the maintainance of the initial results.

[Heparin in coronary angioplasty. Randomized study in cases with low risk of acute occlusion]

PURPOSE

To assess the efficacy of heparin in preventing the abrupt closure after coronary angioplasty in low risk patients for this phenomenon.

METHODS

In the last 4 years, 525 patients successfully dilated were randomized to receive intravenous heparin (n = 264) or not (n = 261) after the angioplasty. The excluding criteria were contraindications for heparin and risk for abrupt closure (refractory unstable angina, primary coronary angioplasty in acute myocardial infarction, evidence of intracoronary thrombus, intimal tear after the procedure and cases of chronic total occlusions). Both heparin and non heparin groups were similar in respect to female sex (15% x 17%; p = NS), age over 70 years old (7% x 9%; p = NS), previous myocardial infarction (26% x 24%; p = NS), multi-vessel procedures (4% x 7%; p = NS, stable angina (40% x 46%; p = NS), unstable angina (52% x 48%; p = NS) and angioplasty after thrombolytic therapy (8% x 6%; p = NS).

RESULTS

The overall incidence of abrupt closure was 2/525 (0.4%), with one case (0.4%) in each group. The in-hospital mortality was 1/525 (0.2%), which occurred in a non-heparin patient, due to a anterior myocardial infarction. Major complications occurred similarly in heparin and non-heparin groups (0.4%). Bleeding complications were observed more frequently in the heparin group (7% x 2%; p = 0.002). All of them were in the catheterization site and none required blood transfusion. Severe systemic bleeding were not observed.

CONCLUSION

In patients regarded as low risk for abrupt closure, the incidence of this complication was really low (0.4%) and heparin probably do not prevent it.

[Outpatient heart catheterization. An analysis of experience accumulated over 10 months]

PURPOSE

To identify patients suitable for outpatient cardiac catheterization strategy, based on social aspects, risks and complications, for a 24 hour period.

METHODS

In a series of 2.126 cases submitted to cardiac catheterization at the Instituto Dante Pazzanese de Cardiologia, between September 1990 and June 1991, were excluded: a) those over 75 years of age; b) the acute ischemic syndromes; c) those in NYHA functional class IV; d) patients who used 7 or 8 French femoral angiographic catheters; e) patients who had undergone general anesthesia, electrophysiological study or endomyocardial biopsy. After the procedure, the patients were observed for a 3 hour period and in the absence of any complication, they were discharged from the hospital, returning the next day for clinical evaluation. If any complication occurred it was registered.

RESULTS

In a cohort of 719 eligible patients, 68% were male, with a mean age of 55.3 years. Sixty one per cent were in NYHA functional class I and most of them (80.8%) were studied by the brachial approach. Eighty-three per cent of the patients were submitted to coronary angiography, with 52% of them having coronary artery disease. Four hundred and fourteen patients were not discharged on the same day: 217 did not have their procedures finish after 6 p.m., 111 for social-economical reasons, 23 because of their physician's refuse, 8 because of left main coronary disease, 55 because of any kind of complication. All the 305 patients who were discharged on the same day, did not have shown any complication in the next day evaluation.

CONCLUSION

Outpatient cardiac catheterization is a safe technique in selected patients, making possible the accomplishment of a greater number of procedures improving bed utilization and decreasing hospital costs.

[The usefulness of digital angiography in performing coronary angioplasty. An analysis of 100 cases]

PURPOSE

To analyse the actual contribution of digital angiography in the angioplasty setting and to assess its utility to optimize angioplasty results.

METHODS

One hundred patients with single vessel coronary artery disease, without previous angioplasty or coronary artery bypass graft surgery, who underwent angioplasty from January to December 1990. Views were obtained in standard films and also in digitized angiograms. The latter was acquired before angioplasty in order to precisely quantify the stenosis and also to measure the reference diameter of the artery that was used and to choose the balloon catheter for each case. New acquisitions were done during and after the end of the procedure to confirm the residual stenosis and to measure the final diameter.

RESULTS

The mean stenosis pre angioplasty was 78.2%, the mean reference diameter 2.8 mm and the mean diameter at the stenotic site 0.8 mm. The balloon artery relation was 0.9:1. After angioplasty the residual stenosis was 13.6% and the dilated segment had a final diameter of 2.6 mm. There were no complications in any patient.

CONCLUSION

Digital angiography is a useful method for laboratories devoted to coronary interventions for it allows confirmation of the severity of the stenosis, optimizes the balloon/artery relation, monitors partial results and measures the residual stenosis as well as the final diameter.

[The use of primary coronary angioplasty in acute myocardial infarction in patients over 70 years of age]

PURPOSE

To evaluate the use of primary coronary angioplasty (PTCA) in patients older than 70 years, evolving with acute myocardial infarction, without the previous administration of thrombolytic agents.

METHODS

Forty-two patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and more than 70 years of age (m = 76.4y). There were 54.7% men and 43% of them had anterior MI. PTCA was carried out during the first 12 hours of evolution and in the first 3 hours of duration in 47% of them. PTCA was done only to the AMI related artery, which was the left descending artery in 43%, the right coronary artery in 47% and the left circumflex in the remaining patients. Nineteen percent of these patients were in Killip class III e IV.

RESULTS

Primary success was achieved in 86%. The in hospital mortality was 14.2%, and it was superior in female gender (26.3%), in Killip class III and IV (37.5%), in those with multivessel coronary disease (16.6%) and in those where primary PTCA failed (33%). There were 9.3% of reinfarction, but no major hemorrhages happened. Late angiography was done in 50% of patients, showing 72% of patency in the AMI related artery, and a significant improval of global ejection fraction and of the wall motion, particularly, in those who maintained arterial patency.

CONCLUSION

Primary PTCA, without former use of thrombolytic agents, when applied early in elderly patients evolving with AMI, has a high success rate and low mortality rate in this subset of high risk patients. It also shows no major hemorrhagic complications.

[Coronary angioplasty in a 12-year-old child]

Coronary artery disease is seldom reported in patients under 20 years of age. We present here the case of a 12 years old male, with systemic high blood pressure who had 2 episodes of typical chest pain. He underwent a submaximal exercise treadmill test which was negative. He then underwent cinecoronarography that revealed a 78% (measured by the caliper) obstruction in the proximal segment of the circumflex coronary artery with 3 mm of extension. The left coronary artery and the left ventricle were normal. The patient was subjected to a percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, which was successful and left a 12% (measured by caliper) residual stenosis. The late angiographic restudy (5 months after the procedure) showed the maintenance of the immediate success of the procedure.

[Coronary angioplasty in the 8th and 9th decades of life: an effective technique for myocardial revascularization?]

PURPOSE

To evaluate the efficacy of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTCA), as a revascularization procedure in patients with symptomatic coronary artery disease in the 8th and 9th decades of life.

METHODS

Four hundred and fifty-two elderly patients (mean age 74.7 years) underwent balloon dilation, between April 1982 and June 1990, at the Institute "Dante Pazzanese" of Cardiology. There were 70.4% male, 34.9% with high blood pressure, 18.8% smoked and 10.8% with diabetes. Ninety-four patients (20.7%) had previous myocardial infarction and systemic disorders were diagnosed in 14% (renal failure 5.1%, respiratory insufficiency 3.1%, rheumatic and bone disorders 1.1%, malignancy 4.2%, haematologic disorders 0.4%). One hundred and seventy-three (38.3%) had multivessel coronary artery disease whereas 84 (18.5%) had moderate to severe dysfunction of the left ventricle. PTCA was done according to the method described by Grüntzig, with the use of a "over the wire" (LPS, USCI, Mini Profile USCI, ACX ACS) balloon or a "on the wire" (Probe USCI, Axcel ACS) System.

RESULTS

Primary success was achieved in 406 (89.5%) patients where PTCA was done to dilate one vessel in 412, two vessels in 38 and three vessels in 2, accomplishing 494 dilated vessels. Major complications occurred in 14 (3.1%) patients, due to occlusion of the treated coronary artery. Emergency by-pass surgery was necessary in 5 (1.1%) patients, while 8 patients involved to acute myocardial infarction (1.8%), and 5 (1.1%) died. At the end of the late follow-up (mean 24.5 months) of 349 elderly patients (86% of the 406 successful dilated) 246 (70.5%) were asymptomatic, chest pain had recurred in 101 (28.9%) and 2 (0.6%) had myocardial infarction. Twenty-eight patients died during the follow-up, 14 of them (4.0%) due to cardiac causes. Late restenosis developed in 66 patients and 22 had progression of coronary atherosclerosis. Forty patients underwent a late PTCA, and 33 others underwent a late bypass surgery.

CONCLUSION

PTCA in patients in the 8th and 9th decade of life was a safe and efficient procedure (primary success rate about 90% and major complications of 3.1%). The late evolution showed satisfactory clinical results (70.5% of asymptomatic) low myocardial infarction rate (0.3% per year) and low incidence of cardiac death (2% per year). About 2/3 of the patients were free of any cardiac event (angina, myocardial infarction, by-pass surgery or death) at the end of the follow-up.

[Coronary angioplasty of moderate lesions (50 to 60%)]

PURPOSE

To assess the efficacy of transluminal coronary angioplasty in patients with moderate (50-60%) coronary lesions.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

One hundred and thirty nine patients, 108 (78%) male, mean age was 55 years, who underwent coronary angioplasty from August 1983 to January 1989. Clinical findings included stable angina in 91 (65%) and unstable angina in 48 (35%). Single vessel disease was the case for 117 (84%), whereas 22 (16%) had two vessel coronary artery disease.

RESULTS

Primary success rate was 130 (94%). All patients with two vessel disease had complete revascularization. In the failure group there were 2 acute myocardial infarction (1.4%), and 4 (2.8%) emergency coronary artery by-pass surgery. There were no in-hospital deaths. Of the 130 patients with success, 119 (92%) had late follow-up (mean time 31 months). At the end of the follow-up period we found 85 (71%) asymptomatic, while 27 (23%) had recurrence of symptoms. There were 2 late cardiovascular deaths. Fifty four patients underwent late angiography and 42 (78%) had maintenance of the result while 12 (22%) had restenosis, with a mean degree more severe than pre-coronary angioplasty.

CONCLUSION

Coronary angioplasty of moderate lesions has a high success rate (94%); nevertheless the rate of major complications and restenosis is very similar to that of coronary angioplasty for severe stenosis. Such findings led us to reserve the indication of coronary angioplasty for moderate lesions for patients at higher risk with clear evidence of myocardial ischemia.

[Use of coronary angioplasty in acute myocardial infarction without previous use of thrombolytic agents. Analysis of 201 patients]

PURPOSE

To evaluate the experience with the use of primary PTCA in the set of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) without the previous administration of thrombolytic agents.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Two hundred and one patients with AMI, aged 35 to 86 years (mean = 57.2). There were 83.5% men. Twenty patients were older than 70 years and 48.2% had an anterior AMI. PTCA was performed early in the AMI, with a delay no longer than 12 hours. In 95%, it was done solely to the infarct related artery. Seventy percent patients were in Killip class I, 21% in class II, and 8% in classes III and IV (more than 50% of this subset of patients were in cardiogenic shock).

RESULTS

Primary success was achieved in 84.5%. In hospital mortality was 5.9%, and there were 7% reinfarctions. Among the 84 patients who underwent a late cinecoronariography study, there were 19% restenosis and 8.3% reocclusions. In the long term follow up 75% were asymptomatic. Repeat PTCA was required in 10.2% of the cases, late coronary surgery was performed on 10.8% of the patients, and post-hospital cardiac mortality was 8.8% during an average follow up of 28 months (range 2-72 months).

CONCLUSION

Primary PTCA is a effective way of reperfusion in the AMI, with a high primary success, low complications rate and without any major contraindications.

[Occlusion of secondary branches after angioplasty of the left descending coronary artery]

PURPOSE

To evaluate the incidence and clinical presentation of the occlusion of such secondary branches in patients with single vessel coronary artery disease in the left anterior descending artery, who underwent a first elective and successful PTCA.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Two hundred and thirteen side branches of 121 patients considered to be at risk. They were divided into group I (GI-85 side branches, 39.9%), if they originated from the atherosclerotic site; and group II (GII-120 side branches, 61.5%), if their origin would be involved during the balloon inflation. In the GI there were 54 septal branches and 31 diagonal branches, and 36& had angiographic evidence of ostium disease. GII was constituted by 77 septal and 51 diagonal branches, and 7.8% of them had evidence of ostium disease.

RESULTS

Seven side branches (3.3%) at risk occluded, 4 from GI (4.7%) and 3 (2.3%) from GII. As for the clinical presentation, 57% of them had angina, where as 28.6% showed minor abnormalities in the ECG. No patient elevated its serum CK-MB, and silent occlusion occurred in 43% of them.

CONCLUSION

Occlusion of side branches is a low incidence phenomenon, which happens more often in septal branches with ostium disease that originates from the atherosclerotic site; that about half of the patient had silent occlusion (43%) or mild ischemic manifestations.

[Angioplasty of the anterior descending artery with abnormal origin: use of a new low-profile catheter balloon. A case report]

It is possible to perform transluminal coronary angioplasty (TCA) in thin vessels presenting severe obstructions. One of the achievements that made such procedure possible is the development of a new generation of balloon catheters. In this case report the TCA was performed in a very thin left anterior descending artery with an anomalous origin, a quite rare situation that represents a major problem to the traditional dilator system. The catheter used was a Probe (USCI), which differs of the traditional balloons in a number of characteristics. The authors consider the procedure in detail pointing out the advantages of using of the new generations and discuss the impact that newer technological developments will have in enlarging the indications for TCA and improving the results.

[Coronary angioplasty: efficacy of the new low profile balloon catheters]

New low profile balloon catheter have allowed the indication of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) for more complex lesions. We report our initial experience with these systems in 50 out of 101 patients (50%) who underwent a PTCA from March 15 to May 15, 1989 in "Instituto Dante Pazzanese de Cardiologia". Mean age was 58.6 +/- 10.4 years and most of the patients were male (78%). We dilated 54 lesions. Single vessel disease was the case for 84% of the patients. As for the localization of the lesions in the coronary arteries, 56% of the lesions were in the proximal or mid segments of the coronary arteries and the mean diameter stenosis pre-PTCA was 84 +/- 10.2%. Left ventricular function was normal in 60% of the patients. Primary success rate (per patient) was 95% and the coronary stenosis was crossed in all the cases. The mean inflation number was 2.7 +/- 0.6 per patient, the mean highest pressure was 8 +/- 1.15 atm and the mean maximum time of inflation was 86.1 +/- 29.6 sec. The mean residual stenosis was 15.2 +/- 10.6%. There was only one major complication, namely an acute myocardial infarction of the lateral wall. There were no emergency CABG surgery or deaths. We conclude that the new low profile balloon catheters have broadened the indication for PTCA in more complicated lesions, showing a high rate of primary success (95%), but did not increase the number of procedural complications (2.5%).

Pulmonary valvoplasty--experience of 100 cases

One-hundred patients with pulmonary valve stenosis underwent pulmonary valvoplasty, their ages ranging from 1 to 59 years. The systolic gradient across the valve ranged from 47 to 260 mm Hg (97.67 +/- 41.15) prior to the valvoplasty, and from 0 to 55 mm Hg (14.72 +/- 11.40) immediately after dilatation (P less than 0.0001). The clinical follow-up of 18.2 months of 56 patients showed a tendency for the systolic thrill to disappear, the systolic murmur became softer and there was a tendency to normalization of the electrocardiogram. A hemodynamic restudy was carried out in 54 patients and the systolic gradients across the valve ranged from 21.55 +/- 23.86. Seven patients required redilatation. In patients with hypertrophy of the infundibulum prior to valvoplasty this was observed to regress, indicating that infundibular hypertrophy is reversible.

Double outlet right ventricle and left-sided aorta. A previously undescribed association with cor triatriatum and double right ventricular chamber

Double-outlet right ventricle with viscero-atrial situs solitus, right-sided right ventricle and left-sided aorta is an unusual finding. In the present case it was found in association with a cor triatriatum and a double right ventricular chamber, a condition which has not been described previously. Dextrocardia, subaortic ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect ostium secundum type and absence of pulmonary and aortic stenosis at any level were also noted.