INTRODUÇÃO: Os inúmeros avanços tecnológicos no tratamento percutâneo da doença coronariana aterosclerótica propiciaram que um crescente número de pacientes tratados previamente por angioplastia coronária transluminal percutânea (ACTP) seja referenciado à Cirurgia de Revascularização Miocárdica (CRM). Resultados de estudos a curto, médio e longo prazo confirmaram ou contestaram os efeitos negativos da angioplastia prévia com \"stent\" na mortalidade e morbidade da CRM. OBJETIVO: Avaliar a influência da intervenção coronária prévia com \"stent\", na mortalidade e ocorrência de eventos cardiovasculares e cerebrais maiores em pacientes com insuficiência coronária, submetidos à cirurgia de revascularização miocárdica, até cinco anos de seguimento. MÉTODO: Foi feito um levantamento retrospectivo a partir do banco de dados REVASC (Registro de reVAScularização mioCárdica) do Hospital Beneficência de São Paulo, dos pacientes consecutivos submetidos à CRM entre junho de 2009 a julho de 2010 e com seguimento em três fases: aos 30 dias, um ano e cinco anos. As características dos pacientes e os fatores de risco foram analisados, de acordo com as definições dadas às variáveis pelo EuroSCORE (\"The European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation\"). Para controlar eventual viés de seleção foi realizada análise agrupada com \"propensity score matching\". Todos os testes foram realizados considerando hipóteses bilaterais e assumindo um nível de significância alfa = 5%. RESULTADOS: Os pacientes foram divididos em dois grupos: CRM primária e com ACTP prévia. 261 (8,7%) de pacientes tiveram ACTP prévia. Na coorte original, no grupo com ACTP os pacientes são mais velhos (p=0,032) e têm mais doença arterial periférica (p < 0.001) e mais dislipidêmicos (p < 0,001) porem com o risco operatório EUROSCORE menor (p=0,031) e mais cirurgias não eletivas (=0,008). Após cinco anos, a mortalidade por causas cardiovasculares foi de 134 (5,6%) no grupo com ACTP prévia versus 13 (5,5%) no grupo de CRM primária; (p=0,946); a taxa de reinternação por causas cardiovasculares foi de 359 (15,0%) no grupo com ACTP prévia vs 47 (19,8%) no grupo de CRM primária; (p=0,048) e a taxa eventos combinados óbito/reinternação por causas cardiovasculares foi de 399 (16,7%) no grupo com ACTP prévia vs 51 (21,5%) no grupo de CRM primária; (p=0,057). Em seguida,foi realizada comparação na coorte pareada e em cinco anos a mortalidade por causas cardiovasculares foi de 17 (7,8%) no grupo com ACTP prévia vs 13 (5,5%) no grupo de CRM primária; (p=0,321); a taxa reinternação por causas cardiovasculares foi de 31 (14,2%) no grupo com ACTP prévia vs 47 (19,8%) no grupo de CRM primária; (p=0,113) e a taxa eventos combinados óbito/reinternação por causas cardiovasculares foi de 40 (18,4%) no grupo com ACTP prévia vs 51 (21,5%) grupo de CRM primária; (p=0,398). CONCLUSÃO: Em cinco anos de seguimento não houve diferença na mortalidade nos dois grupos, mas houve maior taxa readmissão por causas cardiovasculares no grupo com ACTP prévia. Essa diferença não foi confirmada na coorte pareada / BACKGROUND: several technological advances in percutaneous treatment of atherosclerotic coronary disease have led to an increasing number of patients treated with previous percutaneous intervention (PCI) referred to coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). Results of short-term initial studies showed negative effects of PCI on CABG outcomes .. Neverthless, further studies with immediate and long term follow-up confirmed or contested the negative influence on mortality and morbidity of CABG. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of previous coronary intervention with stent in the mortality and occurrence of major cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events in patients with coronary artery disease undergoing myocardial revascularization surgery, up to 5 years of follow-up. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed in the REVASC (Registro de rEVAScularização mioCárdica) database of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting at the Hospital Beneficência Portuguesa de São Paulo, operated between June 2009 and July 2010, and followed in three periods: at 30 days, 1 year and 5 years. Patient characteristics and risk factors were analyzed according to the definitions given to the variables by EuroSCORE (The European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation). In order to control eventual selection bias, a simultaneous analysis with propensity score matching was performed. All tests were performed considering bilateral hypothesis and assuming a significance level ? = 5%. RESULTS: Patients were divided into two groups: primary CABG , 2746 patients and previous PCI. 261 (8.7%) of patients had previous PCI. In the original cohort, in the PCI group, patients were older (p = 0.032) and had more peripheral arterial disease (p < 0.001) and more dyslipidemic (p < 0.001) but with lower EUROSCORE operative risk (p = 0.031) and more non-elective surgeries (= 0.008). After five years, the mortality due to cardiovascular causes was 134 (5.6%) in the previous PCI group versus 13 (5.5%) in the primary CABG group; (p = 0.946); the rate of rehospitalization for cardiovascular causes was 359 (15.0%) in the group with previous PCI vs 47 (19.8%) in the primary CABG group; (p = 0.048) and the combined death / rehospitalization event due to cardiovascular causes was 399 (16.7%) in the group with previous PCI vs 51 (21.5%) in the primary CABG group; (p = 0.057). Then, we performed a paired cohort and in 5 years the mortality from cardiovascular causes was 17 (7.8%) in the group with previous PCI vs 13 (5.5%) in the primary CABG group; (p = 0.321); the rehospitalization rate for cardiovascular causes was 31 (14.2%) in the group with previous PCI vs 47 (19.8%) in the primary CABG group; (p = 0.113) and the combined death / rehospitalization event due to cardiovascular causes was 40 (18.4%) in the previous PCI group vs 51 (21.5%) primary CABG group; (p = 0.398). CONCLUSION: There is no statistically demonstrable difference in mortality over five years in both groups, but there was more readmission for cardiovascular causes and combined outcomes in the previous PCI group. In the matched cohort we cannot find any diferences

Introdução: A angioplastia primária associada ao implante de stent é o tratamento de escolha no infarto agudo do miocárdio. Discute-se o valor de provas funcionais na abordagem de reestenose coronária, bem como o tempo ideal para sua realização. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a importância do teste ergométrico, da cintilografia de perfusão miocárdica e do ecocardiograma bidimensional em repouso, no diagnóstico de reestenose em pacientes tratados durante as primeiras 12 horas de evolução do infarto com supra desnivelamento do segmento ST. Métodos: No período de agosto de 2003 a janeiro de 2006 foram selecionados 64 pacientes tratados com angioplastia primária e implante de stent nas primeiras 12 horas de evolução do primeiro infarto. Os pacientes realizaram ecocardiograma bidimensional em repouso, teste ergométrico com adição de derivações precordiais direitas e cintilografia de perfusão miocárdica com captação tomográfica (SPECT) sincronizada ao ECG (GATED SPECT), seis semanas (etapa1), seis meses (etapa 2) e um ano (etapa3) após a angioplastia primária. Foi realizado reestudo angiográfico no sexto mês de evolução. Resultados: A idade média foi 56,2 ±10,2 anos; 53 pacientes eram do sexo masculino. Doença uniarterial > = 50% foi observada em 46,9% dos casos. A artéria descendente anterior foi tratada em 48,4% dos pacientes, artéria coronária direita em 34,4%, artéria circunflexa em 10,9%, tronco de coronária esquerda em 3,1%,grande ramo diagonal em 1,6% e ponte safena em 1,6%. Reestenose angiográfica ocorreu em 28.8% dos 59 casos submetidos a reestudo. A fração de ejeção do ventrículo esquerdo ao ecocardiograma foi em média: 0,55 (etapa 1), 0,55 (etapa 2) e 0,56 (etapa 3). Observou-se diferença entre a fração de ejeção dos pacientes com e sem reestenose um ano após o procedimento (p=0,003). Sensibilidade, especificidade, valor preditivo positivo, valor preditivo negativo e acurácia do teste ergométrico foram respectivamente: 53,3%, 69% , 38,1%, 80,6% e 64,9% na etapa 1 (p=0,123); 54,5%, 70,7%, 33,3%, 85,3% e 67,3% na etapa 2(p=0,159) e 38,5%, 66,7%, 27,8% ,76,5% e 59,6% na etapa 3 (p=0,747). A adição de derivações precordiais direitas não elevou os índices de sensibilidade em nenhuma das etapas. Os valores de sensibilidade, especificidade, valor preditivo positivo, valor preditivo negativo e acurácía obtidos após a cintilografia de perfusão miocárdica com MIBI, quando considerada a diferença de escores entre esforço e repouso >2, foram respectivamente 40%,78,6%, 40%, 78,6% e 68,4% na etapa1(p=0,185); 54,5%,87,8%,54,5%,87,8% e 80,8% na etapa 2 (p=0,006) e 25%,91,7%,50%,78,6% e 75% na etapa 3(p=0,156). Quando considerada a diferença de escores >4 os valores foram respectivamente: 13,3%,88,1%,28,6% ,74% e 68,4% na etapa 1(p>0,999); 36,4%,95,1%,66,7%,84,8% e 82,7% na etapa 2 (p=0,014) e 8,3%,94,4 %,33,3%,75,6% e 72,9 % na etapa 3 (p >0,999). Conclusões: O teste ergométrico não permitiu discriminar reestenose na população estudada, em nenhuma das etapas durante a evolução. A cintilografia miocárdica realizada seis meses após o infarto apresentou associação com reestenose. Os pacientes com reestenose apresentaram menores valores de fração de ejeção do ventrículo esquerdo um ano após a angioplastia primária, por avaliação ecocardiográfica. / Primary coronary angioplasty and stenting during acute myocardial infarction is the first treatment choice. Non-invasive testings have been used in the diagnosis of restenosis but its efficacy and time to be performed have to be determined. The purpose of this study was to evaluate exercise treadmill test, myocardial perfusion imaging and rest two-dimensional echocardiogram in the diagnosis of restenosis in patients treated during the first 12 hours of STelevation myocardial infarction.Methods: From August 2003 to January 2006, 64 patients were selected after primary coronary angioplasty and stenting. Rest two- dimensional echocardiogram, exercise treadmill test associated to right precordial leads and myocardial perfusion imaging according to GATED-SPECT were performed 6 weeks (step 1), 6 months (step 2) and one year (step 3) after the procedure.Coronary angiography was performed during the sixth month of follow-up.Results : Mean age was 56.2 ± 10.2 years; 53 patients were male. Single vessel disease > = 50% was observed in 46.9% of patients. The left anterior descending coronary artery was treated in 48.4%, the right coronary artery in 34.4%, the left circumflex in 10.9%, the left main coronary artery in 3.1%, a large diagonal branch in 1.6% and saphenous vein graft in 1.6% of the cases. Angiographic restenosis occurred in 28.8% from 59 patients submitted to coronary angiography. Mean left ventricular ejection fraction observed during rest two-dimensional echocardiogram was: 0.55 (step 1), 0.55 (step 2) and 0.56 (step 3). It was observed in patients with and without restenosis a significant difference in the left ventricular ejection fraction one year after the procedure (p= 0.003). Exercise treadmill test sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and accuracy were respectively: 53.3%, 69%, 38.1%, 80.6% and 64.9% in step 1(p=0.123); 54.5%, 70.7%, 33.3%, 85.3% and 67.3% in step 2 (p=0.159) and 38.5%, 66.7%, 27.8%, 76.5% and 59.6% in step 3 (p=0.747). Right precordial leads did not show any additional significance. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and accuracy during myocardial perfusion imaging when considering summed difference score > 2 were respectively: 40%, 78.6%, 40%, 78.6% and 68.4% in step 1(p=0.185); 54.5%, 87.8%, 54.5%,87.8% and 80.8% in step 2(p=0.006) and 25%, 91.7%, 50%, 78.6% and 75% in step 3(p=0.156). When considering summed difference score > 4 they were respectively: 13.3%, 88.1%, 28.6%, 74% and 68.4% in step 1(p> 0.999); 36.4%, 95.1%,66.7%, 84.8% and 82.7% in step 2 (p=0.014) and 8.3%, 94.4%, 33.3%, 75.6% and 72.9% in step 3(p> 0.999). Conclusions: Exercise treadmill test did not allow to discriminate restenosis in this population in all steps.Myocardial perfusion imaging performed 6 months after acute myocardial infarction was associated to restenosis. Patients with restenosis showed lower left ventricular ejection fraction one year after acute myocardial infarction by rest two-dimensional echocardiogram.

Bakgrund: Kranskärlsröntgen eller perkutan koronar intervention är en av de mest avancerade diagnostiska och interventionella verktyg som har förbättrat livet för miljontals patienter med hjärt- och kärlsjukdom. Ingreppet är dock kopplat till en viss mängd komplikationer eller oönskade biverkningar. Trots att det är låg risk för dödlighet finns det betydande problematik kring psykologiska besvär både inför, under och efter ingreppen. Icke-farmalogiska interventioner som kan minska psykiskt lidande för patienter som genomgår Kranskärlsröntgen eller PCI är en viktig del i sjuksköterskans arbete.  Syfte: Syftet var att beskriva interventioner för patientinformation med syfte att minska ångest hos patienter som ska genomgå kranskärlsröntgen eller perkutan koronar intervention. Metod: En litteraturstudie, där artikelsökningar utfördes i databaserna PubMed, CINAHL, samt genom manuella sökningar från Google Scholar. Femton empiriska originalartiklar inkluderades. Dessa granskades och analyseras genom en integrerad analys. Resultat: Videobaserade informationsinterventioner visade sig vara effektiva för att minska ångestnivån i samband med kranskärlsröntgen eller perkutan koronar intervention i sex av studierna. Det fanns sju studier som använde multimodal utbildningsintervention och de minskade patientens ångestnivå före proceduren kranskärlsröntgen eller perkutan koronar intervention. Även erfarenhetsutbyte interventioner har visat statistisk signifikant skillnad på att minska ångest hos patienterna före proceduren. Slutsats: Litteraturöversikten visade att videobaserad och multimodal information och per-leed undervisning användes som interventioner för patientinformation med syfte att minska ångest hos patienter som genomgick kranskärlsröntgen och PCI. Vidare ger litteraturöversikten stöd för att användningen av interventioner för patientinformation i form av videobaserad information, stödd av broschyrer och muntlig diskussion med sjuksköterskeledda inlärningstillfällen har en betydande minskning av ångestnivån innan kranskärlsröntgen eller PCI procedurer. / Background: Coronary angiography or percutaneous coronary intervention is one of the most advanced diagnostic and interventional tools that has improved the lives of millions of cardiovascular patients. However, the procedure is linked to a certain amount of complications or unwanted side effects. Even though there is a low risk of mortality due to the procedure, there are significant problems regarding psychological distress both before, during and after the intervention. Non-pharmacological interventions that can reduce this psychological distress for patients undergoing angiography or percutaneous coronary intervention are an important part of the nurse's duty.  Aim: The aim was to describe interventions for patient information with the aim of reducing anxiety in patients undergoing coronary angiography or percutaneous coronary intervention.  Method: Three databases were chosen based on research by relevant scientific evidence identified during the pilot search test. PUBMED, CINAHL and Google Scholar are the databases used in the literature search. The selection resulted in a total of 15 articles on which this literature review is based.  Result: Video-based information interventions were found to be effective in reducing anxiety levels associated with coronary angiography or percutaneous coronary intervention in six of the studies. There were seven studies that used multimodal educational intervention for patients who underwent coronary angiography or percutaneous coronary intervention, which have shown a reduction in the anxiety level of patients prior to the procedure. Also, experience exchangeinterventions have shown statistically significant difference in reducing anxiety in patients prior to the procedure.  Conclusion: This literature review showed that video-based and multimodal information and per-leed instruction were used as interventions for patient information with the aim of reducing anxiety in patients who underwent coronary angiography and PCI. Furthermore, the literature review supports that the use of interventions for patient information in the form of video-based, supported by brochures and discussion with nurse-led learning opportunities has a significant reduction in anxiety levels before coronary angiography or PCI procedures.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this analysis was to assess the 7-year long-term safety and effectiveness of a randomized comparison of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) versus minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB) surgery for the treatment of isolated proximal left anterior descending lesions. BACKGROUND Long-term follow-up data comparing PCI by SES and MIDCAB surgery for isolated proximal left anterior descending lesions are sparse. METHODS Patients were randomized either to PCI with SES (n ¼ 65) or MIDCAB (n ¼ 65). Follow-up data were obtained after 7 years with respect to the primary composite endpoint of death, myocardial infarction, and target vessel revas- cularization. Angina was assessed by the Canadian Cardiovascular Society classification and quality of life with Short Form 36 and MacNew quality of life questionnaires. RESULTS Follow-up was conducted in 129 patients at a median time of 7.3 years (interquartile range: 5.7, 8.3). There were no significant differences in the incidence of the primary composite endpoint between groups (22% PCI vs. 12% MIDCAB; p ¼ 0.17) or the endpoints death (14% vs. 17%; p ¼ 0.81) and myocardial infarction (6% vs. 9%, p ¼ 0.74). However, the target vessel revascularization rate was higher in the PCI group (20% vs. 1.5%; p < 0.001). Clinical symptoms and quality of life improved significantly from baseline with both interventions and were similar in magnitude between groups. CONCLUSIONS At 7-year follow-up, PCI by SES and MIDCAB in isolated proximal left anterior descending lesions yielded similar long-term outcomes regarding the primary composite clinical endpoint and quality of life. Target vessel revascularization was more frequent in the PCI group. (Randomied Comparison of Minimally Invasive Direct Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Drug-Eluting Stents in Patients With Proximal Stenosis of the Left Anterior Descending Coronary Artery; NCT00299429) (J Am Coll Cardiol Intv 2014;-:-–-) © 2014 by the American College of Cardiology Foundation.

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) refers to a group of clinical conditions caused by myocardial ischemia including unstable angina, non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), and ST-segmcnt elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Appropriate and accurate diagnosis has life-saving implications and requires a quick but thorough evaluation of the patient's history, physical examination, electrocardiogram, radiographic studies, and cardiac biomarkers. The management of patients with suspected or confirmed ACS continues to evolve as new evidence from clinical trials is considered and as new technology becomes available to both primary care physicians and cardiologists. Low- and intermediate-risk patients have frequently been managed in a chest pain center or in the emergency department. While stress testing with or without radionuclide imaging is the most common evaluation method, a CT angiogram is sometimes substituted High-risk patients are often managed with an early invasive strategy involving left heart catheterization with a goal of prompt revascularization of at-risk, viable myocardium. With the increased availability of cardiac catheterization facilities, patients with STEMI are more commonly being managed with primary percutaneous coronary intervention, although thrombolysis is still used where such facilities are not immediately available. This article provides primary care physicians with a concise review of the pathophysiology, clinical evaluation, and management of ACS based on the best available evidence in 2008.

Background: The use of percutaneous left ventricular assist devices in patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock (AMICS) is evolving. The aim of the study was to assess the long-term outcome of patients with AMICS depending on early initiation of Impella CP® support prior to a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent PCI and Impella CP® support between 2014 and 2016 for AMICS at our institution. We compared survival to discharge between those with support initiation before (pre-PCI) and after (post-PCI) PCI. Results: A total of 73 consecutive patients (69±12 years old, 27.4% female) were supported with Impella CP® and underwent PCI for AMICS (34 pre-PCI vs. 39 post-PCI). All patients were admitted with cardiogenic shock, and 58.9% sustained cardiac arrest. Survival at discharge was 35.6%. Compared with the post-PCI group, patients in the pre-PCI group had more lesions treated (p=0.03), a higher device weaning rate (p=0.005) and higher survival to discharge as well as to 30 and 90 days after device implantation, respectively (50.0% vs. 23.1%, 48.5% vs. 23.1%, 46.9 vs. 20.5%, p < 0.05). Kaplan–Meier analysis showed a higher survival at one year (31.3% vs. 17.6%, log-rank p-value=0.03) in the pre-PCI group. Impella support initiation before PCI was an independent predictor of survival up to 180 days after device implantation. Conclusions: In this small, single-centre, non-randomized study Impella CP® initiation prior to PCI was associated with higher survival rates at discharge and up to one year in AMICS patients presenting with high risk for in-hospital mortality.

Objectif : Estimer la contribution statistique des caractéristiques des hôpitaux et des caractéristiques liés aux patients sur la probabilité de réadmission des patients qui ont subi une PCNL, une procédure endoscopique à haut risque de morbidité, dans les hôpitaux aux États-Unis en 2014 et évaluer les prédicteurs des taux de réadmissions d’une PCNL. Méthode : Nous avons identifié tous les patients qui ont subi une PCNL dans les hôpitaux aux États-Unis en 2014 (janvier-novembre) en utilisant la banque de données nationale de réadmission (NRD). L’issue d’intérêt était une réadmission non planifiée 30 jours après une PCNL. À l’aide d’un modèle multi-niveaux à effets mixtes, nous avons estimé l’association statistique entre les caractéristiques hospitalières ainsi que les caractéristiques individuelles liés aux patients sur la probabilité de réadmission. Un effet aléatoire associée à l'hôpital a été utilisé pour estimer le taux de réadmission au niveau hospitalier. Un pseudo R-carré a été calculé pour évaluer la contribution de chaque catégorie de variables sur les taux de réadmission. Résultats : Notre échantillon pondérée était constitué de 6 974 personnes ayant subi une PCNL dans 485 hôpitaux aux États-Unis en 2014. Le taux de réadmission à 30 jours était de 8,5 % (IC à 95 % 7,4 – 9,7). Après ajustement, les caractéristiques hospitalières n’étaient pas associées à une probabilité accrue de réadmission. Le sexe féminin était associé à une diminution de la probabilité de réadmission (IC à 95% 0.54 – 0.93). Les hôpitaux individuelles n’ont contribué qu’à une infime partie à la probabilité d’être réadmis de leurs patients. Les caractéristiques liés aux patients expliquaient davantage la variabilité dans la probabilité de réadmission que les caractéristiques hospitalières (pseudo-R2 9.50% vs 0.03%). Conclusion : Le risque d’être réadmis après une PCNL varie énormément entre les hôpitaux. Une fraction minime de cette variabilité peut être expliqué par les caractéristiques hospitalières contrairement aux caractéristiques des patients. Ces résultats soulignent les limites potentielles de l’utilisation des réadmissions comme mesure de la qualité des soins. / Objective: Estimate the relative contribution of hospital and patient factors to readmission after a typical high-risk endoscopic procedure, percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). Methods: We utilized the Nationwide Readmission Database to identify the patients who underwent PCNL in the United States hospitals in 2014 (January-November). The main outcome was unplanned 30-day readmission following a PCNL. Using a multilevel mixed-effects model, we estimated the statistical association between patient and hospital characteristics and readmission. A hospital-level random effects term was added to estimate hospital-level readmission. To assess the relative contribution of each group of variables on readmission rates, a pseudo-R2 was calculated to assess the contribution of hospital effects to the model of readmission. Results: We identified a weighted sample of 6,974 individuals who underwent PCNL at 485 hospitals in the United States in 2014. The 30-day readmission rate was 8.5% (95% CI 7.4 – 9.7). In our adjusted model, hospital characteristics were not associated with increased likelihood of readmission. Female sex was the only characteristic associated with decreased likelihood of readmission (95% CI 0.54 – 0.93). Individual hospitals contributed marginally to their patients probability of readmission. Patient level characteristics explained far more of the variability in readmissions than hospital characteristics (pseudo-R2 9.50% vs 0.03%). Conclusion: The risk of readmission after a PCNL is highly variable in between hospitals. The statistical contribution of individual hospitals and hospital characteristics to the probability of readmission following a PCNL was minimal compare to patient characteristics. These findings underscore the potential limitations of using 30-day post-discharge readmissions as a hospital-level quality metric.

No description available.

Acutely manifesting radicular pain syndromes associated with degenerations of the lower spine are frequent ailments with a high rate of recurrence. Part of the conservative management are periradicular infiltrations of analgesics and steroids. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the dependence of the clinical efficacy of CT-guided periradicular injections on the pattern of contrast distribution and to identify the best distribution pattern that is associated with the most effective pain relief. Using a prospective study design, 161 patients were included in this study, ensuring ethical standards. Statistical analysis was performed, with the level of statistical significance set at p = 0.05. A total of 37.9% of patients experienced significant but not long-lasting (four weeks on average) complete pain relief. A total of 44.1% of patients experienced prolonged, subjectively satisfying pain relief of more than four weeks to three months. A total of 18% of patients had complete and sustained relief for more than six months. A significant correlation exists between circumferential, large area contrast distribution including the zone of action between the disc and affected nerve root contrast distribution pattern with excellent pain relief. Our results support the value of CT-guided contrast injection for achieving a good efficacy, and, if necessary, indicative repositioning of the needle to ensure a circumferential distribution pattern of corticosteroids for the sufficient treatment of radicular pain in degenerative spine disease.

Purpose of Review: To review the clinical evidence on the use of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) revascularization options in left main (LM) disease in comparison with coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). Coronary artery disease (CAD) involving the LM is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Though CABG remains the gold standard for complex CAD involving the LM artery, recent trials have shown a trend towards non-inferiority of the LM PCI when compared with CABG in certain subset of patients. Recent Findings: Two recent major randomized trials compared the outcomes of PCI versus CABG in the LM and multi-vessel disease with LM involvement. The NOBLE trial included patients with all range of Synergy Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With TAXUS and Cardiac Surgery (SYNTAX) scores and utilized biolimus drug-eluting stent (DES). The trial concluded that MACCE (major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event) was significantly higher with PCI (28%) when compared with CABG (18%) but overall stroke and motility were not different. EXCEL trial evaluated the same treatment option in low to intermediate SYNTAX score population with third-generation everolimus DES platform as PCI option. Results showed no significant differences in the composite primary endpoints of death, stroke, and myocardial infarction (MI) at the end of 30 days (22% versus 19.2%, p = 0.13), although repeat revascularization was higher in PCI group (16.9% versus 10%). Summary: Recent evidence suggests that PCI is an acceptable alternative to treat symptomatic LM stenosis in select group of patients. In low to medium SYNTAX score, particularly in patients without diabetes mellitus, PCI remains a viable option. Future trials focusing on evaluating subset of patients who would benefit from one particular revascularization option in comparison with other is warranted.