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Biomedical subjects

R R Heuser

Publications and source records attributed to R R Heuser.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Intracoronary stent implantation via the brachial approach: a technique to reduce vascular bleeding complications.

To reduce the incidence of vascular complications of intracoronary stent implantation, we used the brachial approach. We attempted implantation of the Palmaz-Schatz stent via the brachial artery approach at 10 lesions in 9 patients. Stent delivery was successful at 8 lesions. Balloon angioplasty was successfully performed in the 2 failed cases, 1 of whom required surgical repair of the brachial artery. Intravenous anticoagulation was uninterrupted from the time of stent placement until therapeutic prothrombin times from oral warfarin therapy were obtained. Neither acute nor long-term major bleeding occurred in the 9 patients. There were no embolic events, myocardial infarctions, or deaths. One subacute thrombosis occurred, and the patient underwent bypass surgery. To evaluate the risks and benefits of the brachial approach, we compared these 9 patients with 41 who had stent placement by the femoral approach during the same period. Lesion characteristics were similar in these 2 groups. There were no significant differences in the success rate or angiographic outcome between the 2 groups. Seven (17%) patients in the femoral group had vascular access complications requiring surgery, compared with 1 (11%) in the brachial group. No patient in the brachial group required transfusion, compared with all 7 of the patients who had femoral vascular complications. The potential reduction in bleeding complications makes the brachial approach to stent implantation attractive in selected patients.

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ACS RX flow support catheter as a temporary stent for dissection or occlusion during balloon angioplasty: initial experience.

The ACS RX flow support catheter, which functions as a temporary stent, was placed successfully during four procedures in three patients who had suboptimal results following angioplasty. This investigational device allowed prolonged perfusion and supported the vessel wall when coronary blood flow was compromised, avoiding emergent coronary artery bypass graft surgery during two procedures. In the remaining procedures the device was used as a bridge to surgery. These early applications of the flow support catheter following failed balloon angioplasty suggest a rapid, effective alternative to the autoperfusion balloon when it fails or is contraindicated because of the lesion location.

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Palmaz-Schatz stent implantation in stenosed saphenous vein grafts: clinical and angiographic follow-up.

Balloon-expandable stents may reduce the restenosis rate following coronary angioplasty. To evaluate this potential in saphenous vein grafts, 26 patients with 30 discrete stenoses underwent conventional balloon dilation and successful Palmaz-Schatz stent implantation as part of a multicenter trial. All patients had resolution of their angina following the procedure. In a mean 5-month follow-up period, 14 patients (54%, 16 lesions) had repeat arteriography; two patients (14%) developed recurrent ischemia ascribed to their venous grafts from in-stent restenosis (2 of 16 lesions, 13%). Two asymptomatic patients (8%) died: one from cardiac arrest (stent patent) and one from stroke (no autopsy). The clinical recurrence rate (cardiac death, myocardial infarction, bypass surgery, repeat angioplasty, or symptom recurrence) was 15%. These preliminary results show trends toward an improved primary success rate with combined vein graft angioplasty/stenting and a lower restenosis rate in stented saphenous vein grafts, but continuing follow-up will be needed to verify these observations.

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Alterations of phasic coronary artery flow velocity in humans during percutaneous coronary angioplasty.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Studies using Doppler catheters to assess blood flow velocity and vasodilator reserve in proximal coronary arteries have failed to demonstrate significant improvement immediately after coronary angioplasty. Measurement of blood flow velocity, flow reserve and phasic diastolic/systolic velocity ratio performed distal to a coronary stenosis may provide important information concerning the physiologic significance of coronary artery stenosis. This study was designed to measure these blood flow velocity variables both proximal and distal to a significant coronary artery stenosis in patients undergoing coronary angioplasty. METHODS: A low profile (0.018-in.) (0.046-cm) Doppler angioplasty guide wire capable of providing spectral flow velocity data was used to measure blood flow velocity, flow reserve and diastolic/systolic velocity ratio both proximal and distal to left anterior descending or left circumflex coronary artery stenosis. These measurements were made in 38 patients undergoing coronary angioplasty and in 12 patients without significant coronary artery disease. RESULTS: Significant improvement in mean time average peak velocity was noted in distal coronary arteries after angioplasty (before 19 +/- 12 cm/s; after 35 +/- 16 cm/s; p less than 0.01). Increases in proximal average peak velocity after angioplasty were less remarkable (before 34 +/- 18 cm/s; after 41 +/- 14 cm/s; p = 0.04). Mean flow reserve remained unchanged after angioplasty both proximal (1.5 +/- 0.5 vs. 1.6 +/- 1; p greater than 0.10) and distal (1.6 +/- 1 vs. 1.5 +/- 0.8; p greater than 0.10) to a coronary stenosis. Before angioplasty, mean diastolic/systolic velocity ratio measured distal to a significant stenosis was decreased compared with that in normal vessels (1.3 +/- 0.5 vs. 1.8 +/- 0.5; p less than 0.01). After angioplasty, distal abnormal phasic velocity patterns generally returned to normal, with a significant increase in mean diastolic/systolic velocity ratio (1.3 +/- 0.5 vs. 1.9 +/- 0.6; p less than 0.01). Phasic velocity patterns and mean diastolic/systolic velocity ratio measured proximal to a coronary stenosis were not statistically different from values in normal vessels (1.8 +/- 0.8 vs. 1.8 +/- 0.5; p greater than 0.10) and did not change significantly after angioplasty (1.8 +/- 0.8 vs. 2.13 +/- 0.9; p greater than 0.10). CONCLUSIONS: Flow velocity measurements may be performed distal to a coronary stenosis with the Doppler guide wire. Phasic velocity measurements made proximal to a coronary stenosis differed from those in the distal coronary artery. Both proximal and distal flow reserve measurements made immediately after angioplasty were of limited utility. Changes in distal flow velocity patterns and diastolic/systolic velocity ratio appeared to be more relevant than the hyperemic response in assessing the immediate physiologic outcome of coronary angioplasty.

Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary

Holmium laser angioplasty after failed coronary balloon dilation: use of a new solid-state, infrared laser system.

A new solid-state laser system was used in a case of saphenous vein graft occlusion untreatable by standard very low-profile balloon angioplasty. The 2100 nm infrared pulsed thulium/holmium: YAG laser successfully recanalized an obtuse marginal bypass graft without complications. The holmium laser has several advantages over excimer systems and may prove an effective adjunct or alternative to coronary balloon angioplasty.

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