Classification of coronary artery bifurcation lesions and treatments: Time for a consensus!

Background: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of coronary bifurcation lesions remains a subject of debate. Many studies have been published in this setting. They are often small scale and display methodological flaws and other shortcomings such as inaccurate designation of lesions, heterogeneity, and inadequate description of techniques implemented. Methods: The aim is to propose a consensus established by the European Bifurcation Club (EBC), on the definition and classification of bifurcation lesions and treatments implemented with the purpose of allowing comparisons between techniques in various anatomical and clinical settings. Results: A bifurcation lesion is a coronary artery narrowing occurring adjacent to, and/or involving, the origin of a significant side branch. The simple lesion classification proposed by Medina has been adopted. To analyze the outcomes of different techniques by intention to treat, it is necessary to clearly define which vessel is the distal main branch and which is (are) the side branche(s) and give each branch a distinct name. Each segment of the bifurcation has been named following the same pattern as the Medina classification. The classification of the techniques (MADS: Main, Across, Distal, Side) is based on the manner in which the first stent has been implanted. A visual presentation of PCI techniques and devices used should allow the development of a software describing quickly and accurately the procedure performed. Conclusion: The EBC proposes a new classification of bifurcation lesions and their treatments to permit accurate comparisons of well described techniques in homogeneous lesion groups. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc

Modifying effect of dual antiplatelet therapy on incidence of stent thrombosis according to implanted drug-eluting stent type

Aim To investigate the putative modifying effect of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) use on the incidence of stent thrombosis at 3 years in patients randomized to Endeavor zotarolimus-eluting stent (E-ZES) or Cypher sirolimus-eluting stent (C-SES). Methods and results Of 8709 patients in PROTECT, 4357 were randomized to E-ZES and 4352 to C-SES. Aspirin was to be given indefinitely, and clopidogrel/ticlopidine for ≥3 months or up to 12 months after implantation. Main outcome measures were definite or probable stent thrombosis at 3 years. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was applied, with stent type, DAPT, and their interaction as the main outcome determinants. Dual antiplatelet therapy adherence remained the same in the E-ZES and C-SES groups (79.6% at 1 year, 32.8% at 2 years, and 21.6% at 3 years). We observed a statistically significant (P = 0.0052) heterogeneity in treatment effect of stent type in relation to DAPT. In the absence of DAPT, stent thrombosis was lower with E-ZES vs. C-SES (adjusted hazard ratio 0.38, 95% confidence interval 0.19, 0.75; P = 0.0056). In the presence of DAPT, no difference was found (1.18; 0.79, 1.77; P = 0.43). Conclusion A strong interaction was observed between drug-eluting stent type and DAPT use, most likely prompted by the vascular healing response induced by the implanted DES system. These results suggest that the incidence of stent thrombosis in DES trials should not be evaluated independently of DAPT use, and the optimal duration of DAPT will likely depend upon stent type (Clinicaltrials.gov number NCT00476957

Percutaneous coronary intervention for obstructive bifurcation lesions: the 14th consensus document from the European Bifurcation Club

The European Bifurcation Club recommends an approach to a bifurcation stenosis which involves careful assessment, planning and a sequential provisional approach. In the minority of lesions where two stents are required, careful deployment and optimal expansion are essential to achieve a long-term result

Comparative Analysis of Sequential Proximal Optimizing Technique Versus Kissing Balloon Inflation Technique in Provisional Bifurcation Stenting: Fractal Coronary Bifurcation Bench Test

International audienceOBJECTIVES: This study used a fractal bifurcation bench model to compare 6 optimization sequences for coronary bifurcation provisional stenting, including 1 novel sequence without kissing balloon inflation (KBI), comprising initial proximal optimizing technique (POT) + side-branch inflation (SBI) + final POT, called "re-POT." BACKGROUND: In provisional bifurcation stenting, KBI fails to improve the rate of major adverse cardiac events. Proximal geometric deformation increases the rate of in-stent restenosis and target lesion revascularization. METHODS: A bifurcation bench model was used to compare KBI alone, KBI after POT, KBI with asymmetric inflation pressure after POT, and 2 sequences without KBI: initial POT plus SBI, and initial POT plus SBI with final POT (called "re-POT"). For each protocol, 5 stents were tested using 2 different drug-eluting stent designs: that is, a total of 60 tests. RESULTS: Compared with the classic KBI-only sequence and those associating POT with modified KBI, the re-POT sequence gave significantly (p \textless 0.05) better geometric results: it reduced SB ostium stent-strut obstruction from 23.2 +/- 6.0% to 5.6 +/- 8.3%, provided perfect proximal stent apposition with almost perfect circularity (ellipticity index reduced from 1.23 +/- 0.02 to 1.04 +/- 0.01), reduced proximal area overstretch from 24.2 +/- 7.6% to 8.0 +/- 0.4%, and reduced global strut malapposition from 40 +/- 6.2% to 2.6 +/- 1.4%. CONCLUSIONS: In comparison with 5 other techniques, the re-POT sequence significantly optimized the final result of provisional coronary bifurcation stenting, maintaining circular geometry while significantly reducing SB ostium strut obstruction and global strut malapposition. These experimental findings confirm that provisional stenting may be optimized more effectively without KBI using re-POT

Sequential Proximal Optimizing Technique in Provisional Bifurcation Stenting With Everolimus-Eluting Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold: Fractal Coronary Bifurcation Bench for Comparative Test Between Absorb and XIENCE Xpedition.

International audienc

Coronary Access and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention up to 3 Years after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation with a Balloon-Expandable Valve

Background: Coronary artery disease and aortic stenosis often coexist. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has emerged as a valid therapeutic option for younger, lower-risk patients who may eventually require coronary artery disease treatment. Thus, post-TAVI coronary access (CA) and percutaneous coronary intervention are expected to increase. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively evaluate patients who were enrolled in the SOURCE 3 (SAPIEN 3 Aortic Bioprosthesis European Outcome) European registry for treatment with the balloon-expandable SAPIEN 3 transcatheter heart valve and underwent CA with or without percutaneous coronary intervention after TAVI. Methods: Baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients with or without CA up to 3 years after TAVI were compared. A Kaplan-Meier estimate with a univariate model determined the impact of CA on cardiac mortality. Results: Of 1936 TAVI patients (mean age 81.6 years, 52% male), 68 (3.5%) had CA within 3 years (mean 441\ub1332 days) after TAVI. At baseline, the logistic EuroSCORE was similar (20.2% versus 18.3%, P=0.2, CA and non-CA groups, respectively). Higher rates of coronary artery disease (76.5% versus 50.6%, P<0.001), myocardial infarction (20.6% versus 11.5%, P=0.03) and previous coronary artery bypass graft (22.1% versus 11.0%, P=0.01) were present in the CA group. In 100% of patients, CA was successfully achieved. The clinical success of percutaneous coronary intervention was 97.9%. Cardiovascular mortality was numerically higher in patients with CA than in those without CA. Conclusions: In the large SOURCE 3 European registry, CA was needed at 3-year follow-up after TAVI with a balloon-expandable valve in 3.5% of patients and was successful in all patients. The clinical success of percutaneous coronary intervention was 97.9%

Percutaneous coronary intervention in left main coronary artery disease: The 13th consensus document from the European Bifurcation Club

The 2017 European Bifurcation Club (EBC) meeting was held in Porto (Portugal) and allowed a multidisciplinary international faculty to review and discuss the latest data collected in the field of coronary bifurcation interventions. In particular, the topic of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on left main coronary artery (LM) disease was highlighted as a contemporary priority. Herein, we summarise the key LM anatomy features, the diagnostic modalities and available data that are relevant for a patient's procedural management. Since the clinical outcomes of patients undergoing PCI on LM disease may depend on both PCI team organisation and PCI performance, the optimal catheterisation laboratory set-up and the rationales for device and technique selection are critically reviewed. The best lesion preparation modalities, the different DES implantation technique choices and the strategies to be considered during PCI on unprotected LM for optimal PCI results are reviewed step by step

Joint consensus on the use of OCT in coronary bifurcation lesions by the European and Japanese bifurcation clubs

Coronary artery bifurcation lesions comprise approximately 15-20% of all percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) and constitute a complex lesion subgroup. Intravascular optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a promising adjunctive tool for guiding coronary bifurcation with its unrivalled high resolution. Compared to angiography, intravascular OCT has a clear advantage in that it depicts ostial lesion(s) in bifurcation without the misleading two-dimensional appearance of conventional angiography such as overlap and foreshortening. In addition, OCT has the ability to reconstruct a bifurcation in three dimensions and to assess the side branch ostium from 3D reconstruction of the main vessel pullback, which can be applied to ensure the optimal recrossing position of the wire after main vessel stenting. Recently, online co-registration of OCT and angiography became widely available, helping the operator to position a stent in precise landing zones, reducing the risk of geographic miss. Despite these technological advances, the currently available clinical data are based mainly on observational studies with a small number of patients; there is little evidence from randomised trials. The joint working group of the European Bifurcation Club and the Japanese Bifurcation Club reviewed all the available literature regarding OCT use in bifurcation lesions and here provides recommendations on OCT guiding of coronary interventions in bifurcation lesions

Consensus from the 7th European Bifurcation Club meeting

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