Browsing by Author "Bianchini, Francesco (57812102200)"

Background: In patients with complex coronary bifurcation lesions undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), various 2-stent techniques might be utilised. The Visible Heart Laboratories (VHL) offer an experimental environment where PCI results can be assessed by multimodality imaging. Aims: We aimed to assess the post-PCI stent configuration achieved by 2-stent techniques in the VHL and to evaluate the procedural factors associated with suboptimal results. Methods: Bifurcation PCI with 2-stent techniques, performed by expert operators in the VHL on explanted beating swine hearts, was studied. The adopted bifurcation PCI strategy and the specific procedural steps applied in each procedure were classified according to Main, Across, Distal, Side (MADS)-2 and to their adherence to the European Bifurcation Club (EBC) recommendations. Microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) was used to assess the post-PCI stent configuration. The primary endpoint was “suboptimal stent implantation”, defined as a composite of stent underexpansion (<90%), side branch ostial area stenosis >50% and the gap between stents. Results: A total of 82 PCI with bifurcation stenting were assessed, comprised of 29 crush, 25 culotte, 28 T/T and small protrusion (TAP) techniques. Suboptimal stent implantation was observed in as many as 53.7% of the cases, regardless of baseline anatomy or the stenting strategy. However, less frequent use of the proximal optimisation technique (POT; p=0.015) and kissing balloon inflations (KBI; p=0.027) and no adherence to EBC recommendations (p=0.004, p multivariate=0.006) were significantly associated with the primary endpoint. Conclusions: Commonly practised bifurcation 2-stent techniques may result in imperfect stent configurations. More frequent use of POT/KBI and adherence to expert recommendations might reduce the occurrence of post-PCI suboptimal stent configurations. © Europa Digital & Publishing 2023. All rights reserved.

BACKGROUND: Current evidence on the long-term outcome and its determinants in patients with unprotected left main trifurcation (LMT) treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is based on small-sized studies. We aimed to assess the clinical, anatomical and procedural factors impacting long-term clinical outcomes of patients with LMT treated by PCI. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter retrospective study on consecutive patients with unprotected LMT in stable or acute coronary settings who underwent PCI with drug-eluting-stent implantation. Primary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), defined as composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization. LMT lesions complexity was graded according to a modified Medina LMT score, which, together with standard criteria of >50% stenosis in any of the branches, included the presence of disease extent >5 mm in the two major side-branches. RESULTS: A total of 103 patients were analyzed, mean age 67.5 years, 37.9% with diabetes mellitus, 47.6% presenting with acute coronary syndrome, 8.7% in cardiogenic shock, with a mean SYNTAX Score of 28.1. Procedural success (angiographic success without in-hospital MACE) was achieved in 99 patients (96.1%). During 3-year follow-up, 18 patients (17.9%) experienced MACE, mainly due to target lesion revascularization (TLR), which occurred in 12 patients (11.9%). At multivariable analysis, modified Medina LMT score was the only independent predictor of MACE (HR 1.538 [1.081-2.189], P=0.017). CONCLUSIONS: PCI in patients with LMT is associated with a high procedural success rate and acceptable long-term clinical outcomes. Baseline LMT lesion complexity, assessed by an original modified Medina LMT score, is an independent driver of long-term clinical outcomes. © 2024 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA.