Use of nitinol self-expandable stents in 26 dogs with tracheal collapse

A study was designed to describe a novel approach to the treatment of tracheal collapse (TC) in dogs using self-expandable nitinol stents. Medical records were reviewed retrospectively for 26 client owned dogs in which nitinol stents were deployed. The entire length of trachea was supported independently of the extent of TC. Two overlapping stents were used instead of one in cases where one stent was not spanning the entire trachea adequately. The diameter of the cranial radiolucent portion of trachea, just behind the cricoid cartilage, was measured as a specific landmark to select the appropriate size of the stent. Two self-expandable nitinol stents were inserted in 9 of 26 dogs; the trachea in the rest of the cases was supported with only one stent. A follow up tracheoscopy was performed in 10 of 26 cases with recurrent clinical signs. Secondary tracheal stenosis in these cases was caused by stent fracture, granuloma or excessive stent shortening. Additional stents were placed successfully to expand the stenotic lumen. A support of the entire trachea may decrease risk of nitinol fracture at the end of the implant. Long term clinical improvement (25 of 26 dogs, 96 %) is comparable with the results of other studies.

Aspiration Thrombectomy for Treatment of ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: a Meta-analysis of 26 Randomized Trials in 11 943 Patients.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES There is continued debate about the routine use of aspiration thrombectomy in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Our aim was to evaluate clinical and procedural outcomes of aspiration thrombectomy-assisted primary percutaneous coronary intervention compared with conventional primary percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. METHODS We performed a meta-analysis of 26 randomized controlled trials with a total of 11 943 patients. Clinical outcomes were extracted up to maximum follow-up and random effect models were used to assess differences in outcomes. RESULTS We observed no difference in the risk of all-cause death (pooled risk ratio = 0.88; 95% confidence interval, 0.74-1.04; P = .124), reinfarction (pooled risk ratio = 0.85; 95% confidence interval, 0.67-1.08; P = .176), target vessel revascularization (pooled risk ratio = 0.86; 95% confidence interval, 0.73-1.00; P = .052), or definite stent thrombosis (pooled risk ratio = 0.76; 95% confidence interval, 0.49-1.16; P = .202) between the 2 groups at a mean weighted follow-up time of 10.4 months. There were significant reductions in failure to reach Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction 3 flow (pooled risk ratio = 0.70; 95% confidence interval, 0.60-0.81; P < .001) or myocardial blush grade 3 (pooled risk ratio = 0.76; 95% confidence interval, 0.65-0.89; P = .001), incomplete ST-segment resolution (pooled risk ratio = 0.72; 95% confidence interval, 0.62-0.84; P < .001), and evidence of distal embolization (pooled risk ratio = 0.61; 95% confidence interval, 0.46-0.81; P = .001) with aspiration thrombectomy but estimates were heterogeneous between trials. CONCLUSIONS Among unselected patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, aspiration thrombectomy-assisted primary percutaneous coronary intervention does not improve clinical outcomes, despite improved epicardial and myocardial parameters of reperfusion. Full English text available from:www.revespcardiol.org/en.