Introduction Acute myocardial infarction is caused by thrombotic occlusion of a native coronary artery. While partial occlusion usually presents as a non ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), it is expected that…
Introduction Calcified coronary lesions present an important challenge to interventional cardiologists. Because of the rigidity and noncompliance of a heavily calcified coronary artery segment, heavy calcification was a risk factor…
Dr. Brilakis: Research support from the Department of Veterans Affairs (PI of the Drug Eluting Stents in Saphenous Vein Graft Angioplasty—DIVA trial and Merit grant—I01-CX000787-01) and from the National Institutes…
Arterial access for common coronary and vascular procedures can be obtained via the common femoral artery, radial, ulnar, or brachial arteries. More recently, the subclavian artery and direct aortic access…
Introduction Coronary balloon angioplasty (PTCA), introduced in 1977, was initially limited to treatment of focal, noncalcified, proximal, concentric coronary lesions. Initially case selection was confined to patients with normal left…
Introduction Over the past few decades, major technological improvements in Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory (CCL) equipment have enabled acquisition of images with better quality at a potentially lower radiation dose. Concurrently,…
Introduction Iodinated contrast media (CM) are widely used in interventional cardiology. Efficacy is predicated on the capacity to opacify intravascular structures; however, when selecting a CM, other important properties should…
The major aims of pharmacotherapy during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and invasive cardiac procedures are to avoid the adverse consequences related to iatrogenic plaque rupture during balloon angioplasty and stent…
Introduction Quality of care has been a major focus of medical care since the Institute of Medicine focused attention on the unacceptable degree of variability in care and concern about…
The Innovator of Angioplasty There are few who are acknowledged as true pioneers in medicine, but Andreas Grüntzig was surely one ( Figure 1-1 ). He quite simply not only…
