Coronary artery ectasia: a rare cause of acute coronary syndrome

Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) is defined as a localised or diffuse dilatation of coronary artery lumen more than 1.5 times that of an adjacent normal segment. CAE may present with or without functionally significant stenosis. Such patients may manifest with stable angina or with acute coronary syndrome. Ectasia may serve as a nidus for thrombus formation with likelihood of distal embolisation or it may lead to dissection or spasm. This condition presents a challenge for an interventionist. Should we intervene or manage it medically. We describe a case of CAE where all the vessels were diffusely ectatic with variable degree of stenosis. In brief we discuss the causes and management issues in ectasia.

Use of Embolic Protection Devices in Peripheral Interventions

The use of embolic protection devices (EPDs) when treating coronary saphenous vein bypass grafts, performing carotid arterial stenting and treating acute coronary syndromes is well accepted. We will review currently available devices and approaches to reduce distal embolisation, first discussing their uses in carotid interventions and then in vertebral and peripheral vascular interventions.

Post PCI Vascular and Bleeding Complications in Patients with or Without CKD

BACKGROUND: There is increasing trend of both Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and chronic kidney diseases (CKD) in general populations. The individuals with CKD are more likely to die of CVD than of kidney failure. Both diagnostic and therapeutic interventions are crucial in management of CKD patients with coronary artery disease. As CKD itself is associated with more bleeding complications we aim to study the incidence of vascular complications (vessel thrombosis, distal embolisation, dissection, poorly controlled bleeding at puncture site, pseudoaneurysm, arteriovenous fistula, retroperitoneal hematoma, and development of femoral neuropathy) in Percutaneous intervention (PCI) patients with renal failure.METHODS: 950 patients who underwent PCI procedures were classified into CKD (GFR<60ml/min/m2) (n=380, 40%) and non-CKD (n=570, 60%) groups. Two groups were analyzed for the occurrence of vascular complications post PCI.RESULTS: Vascular complications were seen in 28 out of 380 patients with CKD (7.37%) and 17 out of 570 patients without CKD (2.98%). Patients with renal failure (GFR<60ml/min/m2) were found to have higher risk of vascular complications post PCI. [p = 0.03, OR = 2.588 (1.344-5.017)]. Non access site complications were more common in patients with CKD compared to non CKD. 16 patients with CKD developed non access site complications compared to 9 in patients without CKD.[p=0.001, odds ratio 2.793(1.15-6.916)CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates higher risk of vascular complications post-PCI in patients with CKD compared to non CKD patients. Higher incidence of non access site complications was also observed in CKD patients.

Interventional Strategies in Thrombus Management for ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction

The major limitation of modern primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) is distal embolisation of thrombus and microvascular obstruction. Microvascular flow, as measured by myocardial blush grade (MPG), predicts mortality after PPCI. Despite initial enthusiasm, current evidence does not support routine use of Intracoronary over intravenous glycoprotein 2b3a inhibitors during PPCI for ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) to improve clinical outcomes. Manual thrombectomy (MT) improves MPG and reduces distal embolisation in meta-analyses of small trials. A single-centre trial (N=1071), the Thrombus aspiration during percutaneous coronary intervention in acute myocardial infarction study (TAPAS) trial showed a mortality reduction, which led guidelines to recommend routine manual aspiration. However, the largest randomised trial (Thrombus aspiration in ST-elevation myocardial infarction in Scandinavia [TASTE] trial, N=7021) showed no difference in mortality and only trends towards reduction in myocardial infarction (MI) and stent thrombosis. The TASTE trial had much lower than expected mortality and so was likely underpowered for modest but important treatment effects (20–30 % RRR). The Thrombectomy with PCI versus PCI alone in patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI (TOTAL) trial (N=10,700) will determine if MT reduces important clinical events during PPCI. Thrombus management remains an important area of research in STEMI.

Treatment of symptomatic coral reef aorta with an uncovered stent graft

Coral reef aorta is a rare condition characterised by extreme calcific growths affecting the juxta and suprarenal aorta. It can cause symptoms due to visceral ischaemia, lower limb hypoperfusion, and distal embolisation. We present a case of a 61-year-old man with unresponsive hypertension, who was found to have an occluded right renal artery, and an extensive coral reef aorta with a marked pressure gradient across the lesion. Renal hypoperfusion secondary to aortic coral reef aorta was thought to be the cause for his hypertension. Endovascular placement of a balloon expandable uncovered stent resolved his hypertension within one month, with no adverse effects noted at subsequent follow-up. Endovascular treatment of coral reef aorta is technically possible and avoids a major vascular procedure.

Spontaneous and Procedural Plaque Embolisation in Native Coronary Arteries: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Prevention

The detachment of atherothrombotic material from the atherosclerotic coronary plaque and downstream embolisation is an underrecognized phenomenon and it causes different degrees of impairment of the coronary microcirculation. During treatment of obstructive atherosclerotic plaque by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) distal embolisation (DE) is considered to be inevitable and it is associated with potential clinical and prognostic implications. This review aims to assess the main aspects of both spontaneous and procedural DE, analyze their different pathophysiology, provide specific insights on the main diagnostic tools for their identification, and finally focus on the main strategies for their treatment and prevention.