Percutaneous Left Atrial Appendage Closure
INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia in adults with a current prevalence estimated at 1.5% to 2% of the general population. With the…
Clinical Outcomes with Self-Expanding Transcatheter Aortic Valve Bioprostheses
INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen Since the introduction of the 18-Fr CoreValve self-expanding transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), over 70,000 implants have been performed worldwide. The use of this self-expanding bioprosthesis…
Coronary Atherectomy: Concepts and Practice
BACKGROUND Print Section Listen Coronary atherectomy continues to be an important tool for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), particularly as the population ages and more patients present with complex calcified coronary…
Complex Lesion Intervention: Bifurcation, Left Main Coronary Artery, and Ostial Lesions
INTERVENTION FOR BIFURCATION LESIONS Print Section Listen Bifurcation lesions have been reported to constitute 15% to 20% of all percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI).1 Since they are associated with an increased…
Patient Selection, Procedural Techniques, and Complications of Balloon-Expandable Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement
HISTORY AND RATIONALE OF THE PROCEDURE Print Section Listen Aortic stenosis (AS) is the most common acquired valvular disease in adults.1 The incidence of AS has steadily increased along with…
In-Stent Restenosis
INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen The safety and efficacy of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) have been drastically improved by the introduction of bare metal stent (BMSs) in clinical practice.1 However, a…
Special Considerations: ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction
INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) composes approximately 25% to 40% of myocardial infarction (MI) presentations. There has been remarkable progress in the treatment and clinical outcomes…
Aortic Valvuloplasty
ETIOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY Print Section Listen Degenerative disease of the aortic valve occurs with age. Areas of cusp flexion over time develop fibrosis and calcification, impeding valve excursion and creating…
Special Considerations: Small Vessel and Diffuse Disease
INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen Small vessel disease and diffuse coronary artery disease represent particularly challenging subsets for treatment with transcatheter coronary interventional therapies. This pathology is associated with higher risk…
Drug-Coated Balloon Technologies: Technical Features and Clinical Applications
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Print Section Listen The concept of delivering antiproliferative drugs via balloon angioplasty has been around for several decades. However, the specific idea of developing a drug-coated balloon (DCB)…
