[Mitral valve stenosis. Physiopathology, diagnosis].
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to H Eltchaninoff.
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Electrocardiographic gated myocardial scintigraphy (gated SPECT) allows simultaneous evaluation of left ventricular perfusion and contractility. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the type of tracer and temporal sampling on the measurement of the ejection fraction by gated SPECT. Eighty-six consecutive patients (59 men, 27 women, average age 62 +/- 11 years) with a history of myocardial infarction (anterior N = 50--inferior N = 36) were studied. All had measurement of the isotopic ejection fraction by equilibrium angioscintigraphy and by gated SPECT sampled at 8 (N = 45, 52%) or 16 images/cycle RR (N = 41, 48%). After filtered retroprojection, the ejection fraction was calculated by a validated method (QGS). A better correlation between gated SPECT and equilibrium angioscintigraphy was observed at 16 images/cycle (r = 0.90) compared with 8 (r = 0.80). The Bland-Altman curves showed improved accuracy of the measurement of the ejection fraction by gated SPECT with 16 compared with 8 images/cycles sampling (mean differences of 0.37 +/- 6.06% and 4.3 +/- 7.71%, respectively). Multivariable analysis showed that temporary sampling was the only parameter to significantly affect the difference between the two methods. There was no difference between the use of Thallium and that of 99mTc-sestamibi. Gated SPECT, therefore, provides an accurate measurement of the ejection fraction for routine clinical usage, providing the acquisition is made at 16 images/cycle.
The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the immediate and medium-term clinical and angiographic results of multiple angioplasty with stenting in 100 consecutive patients with multivessel coronary artery disease. The mean age of the population was 62 +/- 11 years. Two hundred and eight lesions were treated (2.5 +/- 0.7 per patient) with implantation of 1.14 +/- 0.4 stents per lesion. The angiographic success rate was 98.7%. There were 5 major complications in the hospital period: 3 deaths, including 2 of cardiac causes, one coronary bypass procedure and one Q wave myocardial infarction. During follow-up (17 +/- 6 months), eight patients died (5 of cardiac causes) and secondary revascularisation procedures were required in 22 patients. At 6 months, the angiographic restenosis rate was 32% per lesion, 28.8% per stent and 33 patients had at least one restenosis.
A clinical investigation has been conducted since January 1996 with a new valve dilator for percutaneous treatment of mitral stenosis: metallic commissurotome. This new technique is based on the principle of surgical commissurotome but, in its mechanism of action, differs from the usual techniques with balloon catheters. It also offers the unique possibility for multiple utilizations of the same device after resterilization. This article reports a multicenter international investigation involving 500 patients, mean age of 34 +/- 13 years, with a isolated mitral stenosis and an echography score of 7.7 +/- 1.9. Our technique has been feasible in 489 cases (98%) with a success rate (mitral area > 1.5 cm2 without MR > grade 2) of 93%. The transmitral gradient has diminished from 20 +/- 8 mmHg to 4 +/- 3 mm Hg and the mitral area (assessed by planimetry at 24 hrs) has increased from 0.91 +/- 0.20 to 2.12 +/- 0.34 cm2. Complications were uncommon (13 patients: 2.6%) and consisted in 6 tamponades, 5 mitral insufficiencies (one patient required an emergency valve replacement) and 2 neurological transient accidents. The outcomes of this clinical investigation appear most encouraging and at least comparable to those being reported with the commonly used techniques. The most serious complications appear to be closely related to the level of experience with this technique. Considering the possibility to reutilize the metal segments of the apparatus, this technique notably reduces the cost of the procedure per patient and it represents a significant benefit in countries with limited resources.
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BACKGROUND: Percutaneous balloon valvotomy has become a common treatment of mitral stenosis, but the cost of the procedure remains a limitation in countries with restricted financial resources, leading to a frequent reuse of the disposable catheters. To overcome this limitation, a reusable metallic valvotomy device has been developed with the goals of both improving the mitral valvotomy results and decreasing the cost of the procedure. METHODS AND RESULTS: The device consists of a detachable metallic cylinder with 2 articulated bars screwed onto the distal end of a disposable catheter whose proximal end is connected to an activating pliers. By the transseptal route, the device is advanced across the valve over a traction guidewire. Squeezing the pliers opens the bars up to a maximum extent of 40 mm. The clinical experience consisted of 153 patients with a broad spectrum of mitral valve deformities. The procedure was successful in 92% of cases and resulted in a significant increase in mitral valve area, from 0.95+/-0.2 to 2. 16+/-0.4 cm2. No increase in mitral regurgitation was noted in 80% of cases. Bilateral splitting of the commissures was observed in 87%. Complications were 2 cases of severe mitral regurgitation (1 requiring surgery), 1 pericardial tamponade, and 1 transient cerebrovascular embolic event. In this series, the maximum number of consecutive patients treated with the same device was 35. CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained with this new device are encouraging and at least comparable to those of current balloon techniques. Multiple uses after sterilization should markedly decrease the procedural cost, a major advantage in countries with limited resources and high incidence of mitral stenosis.
It has been clearly demonstrated that post-angioplasty restenosis is the result of the combination of three distinct mechanisms associated to different degrees: constrictive remodelling, neo-intimal hyperplasia and elastic recoil. In contrast, after stent implantation, constrictive remodelling is nil, elastic recoil is very mild and restenosis, when observed, is essentially due to a reaction of intimal hyperplasia. These physiopathological features are important as they affect the therapeutic opportunities. With rates of stent implantation attaining 100% in some centres, intra-stent restenosis is a new pathology which poses serious problems in everyday practice as the best management of this situation has not yet been determined. For a long time, redilatation with a balloon catheter was the only possible solution. Secondarily, ablative techniques were evaluated, such as rotational and laser atherectomy, techniques with the theoretic advantage of eliminating part of the intimal proliferation. Directional atherectomy has also been used by some groups. More recently, other approaches, such as implantation of a second stent inside the first, the cutting balloon and radiotherapy, have been suggested. A surgical option is always possible in cases of repeat and/or diffuse restenosis. Finally, abstention from any local treatment may be justified in asymptomatic patients. These different approaches are discussed in this paper.
Coronary artery bypass operations are associated with increased morbidity and mortality in the elderly. Similarly, it has been shown that coronary angioplasty is associated with a higher risk of complications in the elderly than in younger patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the 1-month outcome of elderly patients (>75 years old) who were included in the Stenting without Coumadin French Registry. From December 1992 to March 1995, 2,900 patients (mean age 61+/-11 years) were included in this registry. All patients were treated with ticlopidine (250 to 500 mg/day) for 1 month from the day of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, aspirin (100 to 250 mg/day) for >6 months, and low-molecular-weight heparin (antiXa 0.5 to 1 IU/ml) for 1 month in phase II, 15 days in phase III, and 7 days in phase IV. No heparin was given in phase V. The study group included 233 patients (8.0%) > 75 years old (mean age 79+/-4), 44 (18%) of whom were women. All patients underwent dilatation of a native coronary vessel. One hundred seventeen had unstable angina (50.2%), 20 had postmyocardial infarction ischemia (8.6%), and 6 had acute myocardial infarction (2.6%). Indications for stenting were de novo lesion in 63 patients (27.0%), restenosis in 38 (16.3%), suboptimal result in 48 (20.6%), nonocclusive dissection in 56 (24.0%), and occlusive dissection in 28 (12.0%), respectively. Stented coronary arteries were the left anterior descending in 109 (46.8%), the right in 80 (34.3%), the left circumflex in 40 (17.2%), and the left main in 4 (1.7%). Palmaz-Schatz stents were used in 228 patients (82.0%), AVE microstents in 38 (13.7%), and other stents in 12 (4.3%). More than 1 stent was used in 48 patients (17.3%). The mean diameter of the balloon used for stenting was 3.31+/-0.38 mm and maximal inflation pressure was 12.2+/-2.9 atm. At one-month follow-up, vascular complications occurred in 5 patients, requiring surgery in 2 (1.3%), acute closure occurred in 1 (0.4%), subacute closure in 3 (1.3%), emergency or planned coronary artery bypass graft surgery in none, acute myocardial infarction in 4 (1.7%), stroke in 1 (0.4%), and death in 8 (3.4%). The composite end point of a major cardiac event was observed in 13 cases (5.6%). Coronary stenting using ticlopidine and aspirin appears to be a particularly safe approach in this high-risk subset.
Technical advancement and new anti-thrombotic regimens have recently shown so much improvement in the results of coronary stenting that the conventional contra-indication for stenting in small coronary arteries (<3 mm) needs to be revised. We undertook a prospective pilot study of elective Palmaz-Schatz stenting in de novo lesions located in coronary arteries of less than 3 mm diameter. Fifty consecutive patients (63 +/- 9 years) with stable (n = 38) and unstable angina (n = 12) were included. Philips-DCI quantitative coronary analysis was used to measure reference diameter, minimal lumen diameter and percent diameter stenosis before PTCA, after stenting and at 6-month angiographic follow-up study. All measurements were performed after intracoronary injection of nitroglycerin (300 microg). All patients received ticlopidine (250 mg/day) and aspirin (100 mg/day). The mean lesion length was 9 +/- 3 mm. The balloon size used for stent delivery was 2.75 mm in 30 patients and 2.5 mm in 20 patients and the mean balloon inflation pressure used for stent deployment was 12 +/- 2 atm. All stents were deployed successfully. In-hospital complications occurred in two patients, diagonal branch occlusion at day 2 requiring emergency PTCA in one and a hematoma at the femoral puncture site requiring surgery in the other. Major adverse cardiac event (MACE) rate remained 2% (nonfatal infarct in one). Follow-up angiography (n = 46, 92%) at 6 +/- 3 months showed a 30% restenosis rate. Target vessel revascularization (TVR) rate was 13%. We conclude that elective stenting in small coronary arteries is feasible and involves an acceptable risk of restenosis.
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this prospective study was to evaluate the immediate results and the 6-month angiographic recurrent restenosis rate after balloon angioplasty for in-stent restenosis. BACKGROUND: Despite excellent immediate and mid-term results, 20% to 30% of patients with coronary stent implantation will present an angiographic restenosis and may require additional treatment. The optimal treatment for in-stent restenosis is still unclear. METHODS: Quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) analyses were performed before and after stent implantation, before and after balloon angioplasty for in-stent restenosis and on a 6-month systematic coronary angiogram to assess the recurrent angiographic restenosis rate. RESULTS: Balloon angioplasty was performed in 52 patients presenting in-stent restenosis. In-stent restenosis was either diffuse (> or =10 mm) inside the stent (71%) or focal (29%). Mean stent length was 16+/-7 mm. Balloon diameter of 2.98+/-0.37 mm and maximal inflation pressure of 10+/-3 atm were used for balloon angioplasty. Angiographic success rate was 100% without any complication. Acute gain was lower after balloon angioplasty for in-stent restenosis than after stent implantation: 1.19+/-0.60 mm vs. 1.75+/-0.68 mm (p=0.0002). At 6-month follow-up, 60% of patients were asymptomatic and no patient died. Eighteen patients (35%) had repeat target vessel revascularization. Angiographic restenosis rate was 54%. Recurrent restenosis rate was higher when in-stent restenosis was diffuse: 63% vs. 31% when focal, p=0.046. CONCLUSIONS: Although balloon angioplasty for in-stent restenosis can be safely and successfully performed, it leads to less immediate stenosis improvement than at time of stent implantation and carries a high recurrent angiographic restenosis rate at 6 months, in particular in diffuse in-stent restenosis lesions.
Coronary disease in cardiac transplant patients is a major factor in the limitation of long term survival. The aim of this study was to compare the results of angioscopy with those of coronary angiography performed systematically every 18 months in our center. Twenty-nine patients (31 angioscopies) were assessed 38 +/- 21 months after transplantation. The appearance observed by angioscopy were: 1) normal, 2) yellow pigmentation of the arterial surface, 3) elevated plaque < 50%, 4) elevated plaque > or = 50% stenosis. Angiography was: 1) normal, 2) iregularities of the lumen or < 50% stenosis, 3) > or = 50% stenosis. The films were viewed by two independent investigators. Angioscopy was performed on the left anterior descending artery (N = 35), the left circumflex (N = 24) and the right coronary artery (N = 9). One to three arterial segments were examined per vessel (total of 117 segments: average 3.8 segments per patient). Angioscopy was uniterpretable in 13/117 (11%) of cases. Of the 81 (78%) segments considered normal at coronary angiography, only 55 seemed normal at angioscopy (68%). Of the 23 segments considered to be abnormal at coronary angiography, all were also considered to be abnormal at angioscopy. The authors conclude that coronary angioscopy seems to be more sensitive than coronary angiography for the detection of coronary disease due to chronic rejection. Prospective studies are required to determine whether the infra-angiographic angioscopic lesions correspond to earlier stages of coronary disease of the cardiac graft.
The aim of this study was to assess the value of low dose dobutamine (5 and 10 gammas/Kg/min) echocardiography for the detection of hibernating myocardium in an infarcted zone three weeks after the initial infarction. The authors studied 23 patients (18 men, 15 women) with an average age of 59 +/- 8 years before and 3 months after angioplasty of the culprit artery. Segmental wall motion was assessed semi-quantitatively by the criteria of the American Society of Echocardiography. All patients had regional contractile abnormalities under basal conditions and all underwent control coronary angiography at 3 months. Improvement of segmental wall motion with dobutamine predicted improvement after revascularisation with positive and negative predictive values of 95% and 85% respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the test calculated in the usual manner were 83% and 96% respectively. In addition, assessment of diastolic function showed reduction of the isovolumic relaxation time with dobutamine only in patients with hibernating myocardium (120 +/- 30 ms decreasing to 114 +/- 29 ms with dobutamine, p < 0.02). Low dose dobutamine echocardiography therefore allows reliable non-invasive prediction of hibernating myocardium three weeks after infarction. The reduction of isovolumic relaxation time with dobutamine could be an additional argument in favour of the diagnosis.
The aim of this prospective study was to assess the clinical and angiographic immediate and 6 month results of balloon angioplasty in intra-stent restenosis. Quantitative angiographic analysis (Philips DCI) was performed before and after implantation of the stent, before and after angioplasty for restenosis and at the 6 month control procedure. The study included 59 patients with 65 stents with an intra-stent restenosis. Restenosis was diffuse (10 mm) in 70% of cases, and focal in 30% of cases. The length of the stent was 16 +/- 7 mm (Palmaz-Schatz: 58%). The diameter of the balloon used for angioplasty was 2.9 +/- 0.4 mm and the maximal inflation pressure was 10 +/- 3 bars. The success rate was 100% with no complications. Control coronary angiography was performed in 92% of patients after an average of 5.9 months. The angiographic restenosis rate was 54% and revascularisation was required in 21 patients (36%). The restenosis rate was higher in cases of diffuse intra-stent restenosis (64%) than in focal restenosis (29%), p = 0.02. The authors conclude that balloon angioplasty for intra-stent restenosis is safe and carries a high success rate. Nevertheless, the angiographic restenosis rate at 6 months seems to be higher, especially in cases of diffuse restenosis.
BACKGROUND: The rheolytic thrombectomy catheter has been specially designed to remove intravascular thrombus from coronary and peripheral arteries. It demonstrates a practical application of Bernoulli's principle relating to a low-pressure zone in the region of a high-velocity jet. In this device, this effect is created by direct high-pressure saline jets located at the tip. Thrombus is drawn into this region and, because of the large pressure difference, undergoes mechanical thrombolysis due to the powerful mixing forces. The resulting microparticles are aspirated through the same catheter and removed from the body. METHODS AND RESULTS: We report the use of this device in two patients presenting with severe pulmonary embolism and contraindications to thrombolytic therapy. The two procedures were successfully performed with an excellent immediate angiographic result at the site of the rheolytic thrombectomy. In both cases, the clinical improvement was maintained at follow-up with the same good angiographic result and a decrease to a normal level of the systolic pulmonary pressure. CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary results suggest that this easy technical method may be useful in the treatment of life-threatening pulmonary embolism in patients with absolute contraindications to thrombolytic therapy. A larger cohort of patients is necessary to determine whether this treatment should be proposed as an alternative to the use of fibrinolytics in selected patients.
It has been shown that brief episodes of myocardial ischemia can render the heart more resistant to a prolonged subsequent ischemic episode. This phenomenon, called "preconditioning," has been described in human beings during coronary angioplasty with the use of clinical, electrocardiographic (ECG), or metabolic parameters. The goal of this study was to assess this phenomenon further with the use of echocardiographic and metabolic parameters in addition to clinical and ECG parameters. Eighteen patients with isolated stenosis of the left anterior descending coronary artery and a normal left ventricular function were included. Angioplasty consisted of four consecutive balloon inflations. Sequential changes in clinical, ECG (intracoronary ECG), echocardiographic, and metabolic parameters of myocardial ischemia were compared between the first and the fourth balloon inflations. Improved tolerance to myocardial ischemia with repeated coronary occlusions was demonstrated by a significant reduction in the severity of angina, ST-segment elevation, wall motion abnormalities, and lactate production. This study confirms the adaptation of myocardial ischemia to repeated coronary occlusions through measurement of clinical, ECG, echocardiographic, and metabolic parameters.
OBJECTIVES: This study sought to compare, by angioscopy, the morphologic changes induced by rotational atherectomy, followed by additional angioplasty, with those observed after balloon angioplasty alone. BACKGROUND: Rotational atherectomy and balloon angioplasty act by different mechanisms, which could explain the difference in morphologic changes induced by these two techniques. METHODS: The study group included 50 patients with 50 lesions who were randomly assigned to undergo rotational atherectomy (n = 24) or balloon angioplasty (n = 26). Rotational atherectomy with a single burr (approximately equal to 70% of coronary diameter) was systematically followed by additional balloon angioplasty. Angioscopy was performed immediately after the procedure. Abnormal angioscopic findings were 1) flaps, graded from 1 to 3 (1 = intimal flap; 2 = flap protruding into < 50% of the lumen; 3 = flap protruding into > or = 50% of the lumen); 2) thrombi, graded from 1 to 3 (1 = flat deposits; 2 = protruding but nonocclusive thrombus; 3 = occlusive thrombus); 3) subintimal hemorrhage; 4) longitudinal dissection. The two groups were comparable for clinical and angiographic baseline data. RESULTS: On angioscopy, flaps were observed less frequently after rotational atherectomy followed by additional balloon angioplasty (8 [33%] of 24 lesions) than after balloon angioplasty alone (14 [54%] of 26 lesions, p = 0.08) and were also less severe (grade 1 in 6 lesions, grade 2 in 2 and grade 3 in none vs. grade 1 in 4 lesions, grade 2 in 5 and grade 3 in 5). Longitudinal dissections were also significantly less frequent: one versus six (p = 0.05). There was no difference in the incidence of angioscopic thrombi (p = 0.16) or subintimal hemorrhage (p = 0.15), but the power to detect a significant difference was low for these variables (37% and 26%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Rotational atherectomy followed by additional balloon angioplasty leads to fewer angioscopic dissections and a trend toward fewer intimal flaps than balloon angioplasty alone. However, our angioscopic differences did not lead to an outcome difference between the two groups.
Spontaneous coronary dissection is rare and the diagnosis is usually post-mortem. Less than 60 cases have been diagnosed at coronary angiography. The authors report, to the best of their knowledge, the first case of multiple spontaneous coronary artery dissections in a type IV Ehlers-Danlos syndrome in a young woman admitted to hospital for acute myocardial infarction. She had a previous history of regressive complete tetraplegia due to dissection of the basilar artery and episodes of dizziness related to a dissecting aneurysm of the left vertebral artery. The diagnosis of type IV Ehlers-Danlos syndrome was established after skin biopsy had shown typical histological changes. The patient died several months later after an acute abdominal syndrome probably related to dissection of the aorta. An autopsy was refused by her family. The authors believe this to be the first case of spontaneous coronary dissection related to a type IV Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
Left main coronary artery (LM) stenting has only been reported in bail-out situations or absolute contraindications so surgery. The authors report the immediate and midterm results of primary Palmaz-Schatz stent implantation in two young patients without contraindication to surgery. The first patient, 58 year-old, was admitted for unstable angina in October 1994. Coronary angiography showed an isolated severe ostial lesion of the LM. After conferring with the surgical team which remained on stand-by, angioplasty and stent implantation were performed with excellent results, no complications and no restenosis on angiographic controls at 3 and 12 months. The patient remained asymptomatic 24 months later. The second patient, 38 year-old, was admitted in June 1995 for unstable angina, and coronary angiography showed a severe isolated stenosis in the middle of a long and wide LM. Primary coronary stenting was also performed with excellent results, no complication and no restenosis on angiographic controls at 4 and 8 months. This patient was still asymptomatic 16 months after stenting. These excellent immediate and medium-term results are encouraging and suggest that this form of treatment might be extended to patients with an isolated whether primary LM stent implantation could become a suitable alternative to surgery in the future.