Excimer laser angioplasty vs. balloon angioplasty in saphenous vein bypass grafts: quantitative angiographic comparison of matched lesions

Technologies which ablate or debulk tissue may result in better angiographic outcomes by altering the elastic properties of the vessel wall. Accordingly, the procedural outcomes of 88 vein graft lesions treated by either excimer laser angioplasty with adjunct balloon angioplasty (PELCA + PTCA, n = 44) (Spectranetics CVX-300, 1.4-, 1.7-, or 2.0-MM catheters) or balloon angioplasty alone (PTCA, n = 44) were analyzed by quantitative angiography (Cardiac Measurement System). Lesions were individually matched for vessel position, reference diameter (RD), and minimal luminal diameter (MLD). Matching was deemed adequate as the preprocedure MLD (PELCA + PTCA, 1.14 +/- 0.48 mm; PTCA, 1.20 +/- 0.47 mm) and RD (PELCA + PTCA, 3.23 +/- 0.56 mm; PTCA, 3.25 +/- 0.57 mm) were not significantly different. There were also no significant differences between PELCA + PTCA- and PTCA-treated lesions with respect to patient age, graft age, lesion length, symmetry, and plaque area. Balloon diameter at maximal inflation was 2.77 +/- 0.55 mm (PELCA + PTCA group) and 2.84 +/- 0.59 mm (PTCA group), P = NS. Final MLD postprocedure was 2.17 +/- 0.54 mm and 2.19 +/- 0.55 mm for PELCA + PTCA- and PTCA-treated lesions (P = NS), respectively. Vessel stretch [(balloon diameter - MLD pre)/RD], elastic recoil [(balloon diameter - MLD post)/RD], and acute gain [(MLD post - MLD pre)/RD] were calculated and normalized for vessel size (RD). Vessel stretch (PELCA + PTCA, 0.60 +/- 0.22; PTCA, 0.59 +/- 0.24; P = NS), elastic recoil (PELCA + PTCA, 0.28 +/- 0.18; PTCA, 0.26 +/- 0.16), and acute gain (PELCA + PTCA, 0.34 +/- 0.24; PTCA, 0.31 +/- 0.23; P = NS) were not significantly different between the two treatment groups. In a matched population of successfully treated vein graft lesions, PELCA + PTCA did not reduce elastic recoil or improve immediate angiographic outcome, as compared with PTCA alone.

Predictors of outcome of percutaneous excimer laser coronary angioplasty of saphenous vein bypass graft lesions. The Percutaneous Excimer Laser Coronary Angioplasty Registry

A total of 495 patients underwent treatment with excimer laser angioplasty for 545 saphenous vein graft stenoses. Clinical success was achieved in 455 of 495 patients (92%), as indicated by < or = 50% residual stenosis at every target lesion and no complication during hospitalization. At least 1 in-hospital complication occurred in 30 of 495 patients (6.1%): death (1.0%), bypass surgery (0.6%), and Q-wave (2.4%) or non-Q-wave (2.2%) myocardial infarction. Relative risk analysis showed that ostial lesions (n = 65) tended to have higher clinical success (success rate = 95%, adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 2.1 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.62, 6.88]; p = 0.24) and lower complications (complication rate = 0%, OR = 0.10 [CI 0.01, 0.79]; p = 0.03) than lesions in the body of the vein graft. Lesions > 10 mm (n = 131) had lower success (success rate = 84%, OR = 0.30 [CI 0.16, 0.56]; p = 0.001) and higher complications (complication rate = 12%, OR = 3.3 [CI 1.6, 6.6]; p = 0.004) than discrete lesions. Lesions in small vein grafts < 3.0 mm (n = 76) tended to have increased success (success rate = 94%, OR = 1.55 [CI 0.70, 3.44]; p = 0.39) and lower complications (complication rate = 2.2%, OR = 0.31 [CI 0.10, 0.94]; p = 0.03). Thus, excimer laser-facilitated angioplasty has the most favorable outcome for discrete lesions located at the ostium of all grafts and in the body of smaller saphenous vein grafts.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Percutaneous delivery of low-level laser energy reverses histamine-induced spasm in atherosclerotic Yucatan microswine

BACKGROUND

Previous in vitro experiments performed in our laboratory have shown that low-level laser energy may produce prompt reduction in isometric tension of vascular smooth muscle. The present study was designed to extend these previous in vitro findings to an in vivo model and thereby investigate the hypothesis that laser light delivered percutaneously in vivo could successfully reverse arterial spasm.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Spasm defined as greater than 50% reversible reduction in luminal diameter persisting for greater than or equal to 5 minutes was successfully provoked by injection of histamine (100-400 micrograms/kg) in 13 arteries among 10 atherosclerotic Yucatan microswine; the magnitude of histamine-induced vasoconstriction was then documented angiographically by repeated injections of contrast media for as long as 30 minutes (controls). After return of angiographic luminal diameter to baseline, spasm was reproduced with a second injection of histamine into the same artery. Representative wavelengths generated by ultraviolet (UV), visible, and infrared lasers were then delivered percutaneously via conventional fiberoptics to the site of spasm, and angiographic assessment was repeated for as long as 30 minutes (treatment trial). In three arteries treated with UV (351 nm) light from an excimer laser, angiographic luminal diameter narrowing decreased from 100% to 23.9%, 50.0% to 9.3%, and 76.0% to 42.3%, respectively. The magnitude of laser-induced increase in luminal diameter was 50.2 +/- 22.7%, which was significantly greater than the magnitude of relaxation observed spontaneously during the control trials (10.9 +/- 9.8%, p = 0.02). Visible light from a helium-neon (632 nm) laser accomplished complete reversal of histamine-induced spasm in two of four arteries; in the remaining two arteries, luminal diameter narrowing percentages were reduced from 57.0% to 20.0% and from 76.5% to 30.8%, respectively. The magnitude of helium-neon laser-induced relaxation (55.8 +/- 17.9%) was again significantly greater than that observed during the control trials (0.9 +/- 1.9%, p = 0.01). Finally, infrared irradiation from a diode-pumped neodymium:yttrium aluminum garnet (1,064 nm) laser decreased histamine-induced luminal diameter narrowing in three arteries from 100% to 21.4%, 56.0% to 8.7%, and 68.3% to 35.3%, respectively. The magnitude of infrared laser-induced improvement in luminal diameter narrowing was 53.0 +/- 23.3%, which was significantly greater than that observed during the control trials (12.9 +/- 10.7%, p = 0.01). In three additional arteries, fiberoptic sham trials (without laser irradiation) failed to produce relaxation of histamine-induced spasm.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings document for the first time that light-induced relaxation of vascular smooth muscle, previously documented in vitro, may be reproduced in vivo.

Cardiac complications of cocaine abuse

Cocaine abuse is now firmly associated with several cardiac complications. Acute myocardial infarction is the best documented of these complications and appears to result from cocaine-induced coronary arterial spasm. Myocarditis and/or cardiomyopathy have also been reported in a smaller number of patients. Finally, life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias may also result from cocaine abuse.

Contrasting histoarchitecture of calcified leaflets from stenotic bicuspid versus stenotic tricuspid aortic valves

Preliminary findings from clinical trials of percutaneous balloon aortic valvuloplasty and intraoperative debridement of calcific deposits in patients with aortic stenosis have suggested that calcified, congenitally bicuspid aortic valves may be less amenable to these techniques than are calcified tricuspid aortic valves. Accordingly, we evaluated the histoarchitecture of calcific deposits in 30 operatively excised aortic valves. Light microscopic sections taken through the calcified aortic valve leaflets disclosed two principal types of histoarchitecture. In 11 aortic valves nodular calcific deposits were superimposed on an underlying fibrotic aortic valve leaflet (type A); in 17 valves calcific deposits were diffusely distributed throughout the body (spongiosa) of the aortic valve leaflets (type B). Two aortic valves could not be classified histologically. These histologic subtypes were not randomly distributed with regard to gross valvular morphology. All 14 bicuspid valves (100%) were type B; in contrast, 11 (69%) of 16 tricuspid aortic valves were type A, and only 3 (19%) of 16 tricuspid valves were type B (p less than 0.01). Both valves with nonclassifiable histologic features were tricuspid on the basis of gross examination. Thus, the histoarchitectural distribution of calcific deposits is different for bicuspid than for tricuspid stenotic aortic valves. The more diffuse distribution of calcium throughout the body of calcified bicuspid aortic valve leaflets may render these valves less amenable to operative and percutaneous valvuloplasty than are calcified tricuspid aortic valve leaflets on which calcific deposits are typically superimposed in nodular form.

Aspiration pneumonia: a review

The damage caused by aspiration depends on the volume, nature and pH of the aspirate and the type of pathogen involved. Aspirate with a pH below 2.5 is much more likely to be toxic than less acidic material. Anaerobic organisms are common pathogens, but aerobic bacteria frequently appear in the hospital setting. Steroids may be useful if administered within minutes of the aspiration. Lavage with large amounts of alkaline fluid has not proved helpful.