BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Cortical hyperdensity was observed in the immediate postembolization CT scans of some patients with intracranial aneurysms following uneventful endovascular treatments. The clinical significance and possible underlying mechanism were evaluated. MATERIAL AND METHODS Ninety-three consecutive patients with a total of 100 intracranial aneurysms, treated by endosaccular pack...

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the safety and clinical efficacy of warfarin anticoagulation after small balloon pre-dilation for treating Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) complicated with inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombosis. Methods: This prospective study analyzed the consecutive clinical data of 53 patients with BCS complicated with IVC thrombosis, who were admitted in our hospital from Jan...

Radio-frequency (RF) catheter ablation has become the standard treatment of atrial fibrillation if pharmacotherapy fails. As an alternative to traditional RF standard ablation catheters, single-shot devices have received more and more interest. One group of these devices are cryo-balloon catheters. Such catheters are designed to electrically isolate a pulmonary vein (PV) with only a few applica...

BACKGROUND The proliferative response induced by balloon angioplasty is known to be an important factor in the development of restenosis after successful coronary angioplasty. METHODS AND RESULTS To study the effects of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) on cellular proliferation after experimental balloon angioplasty, LMWH (3.9 kd, 400 anti-Xa units/kg/day) was given to 20 male New Zealand ...

PURPOSE The success of paclitaxel distribution within the vessel wall during paclitaxel-coated balloon angioplasty to prevent restenosis cannot be monitored under X-ray guidance. The aim of this pilot study was to demonstrate the feasibility of monitoring Gadolinium-BOPTA delivery within the vessel wall during magnetic resonance (MR)-guided paclitaxel/Gadolinium-BOPTA-coated balloon angioplasty...

PURPOSE To evaluate the risk of temporary or permanent internal carotid artery occlusion. METHODS In 156 patients intraarterial balloon test occlusion in combination with a stable xenon-enhanced CT cerebral blood flow study was performed before radiologic or surgical treatment. All 156 patients passed the clinical balloon test occlusion and underwent a xenon study in combination with a second...

OBJECTIVE To review 12 years of experience of balloon aortic valvoplasty in childhood. DESIGN Early and mid-term clinical and instrumental evaluation of 104 consecutive balloon aortic valvoplasties performed from 1986 to 1998. SETTING A tertiary referral centre for congenital heart disease. PATIENTS 90 patients with congenital aortic stenosis: 20 neonates (group 1), 16 infants (group 2), ...

INTRODUCTION Overweight and obesity are ranked in the fifth place among the risk factors responsible for the greatest number of deaths in the world. AIM To assess the effects of treatment of patients with morbid obesity using endoscopic intragastric balloon (IGB) implantation. MATERIAL AND METHODS Two hundred and seventy-two patients with obesity were treated using endoscopic intragastric b...

BACKGROUND Controversy still exists over the optimal balloon size, extent of vascular disruption, and long-term results of balloon dilation therapy for coarctation of the aorta. Intravascular ultrasound imaging has been used in patients with coronary artery disease to provide further insight into the anatomy of atherosclerotic lesions and the results of angioplasty and atherectomy. Initial obse...

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES Multiple cases of recurrence of aneurysms after endovascular treatment have been reported. The purpose of the current hemodynamic study was to identify changes in shear stress and pressure associated with the recurrence of terminal intracranial aneurysms after endovascular occlusion. METHODS Using a finite element method, a pulsed flow with a non-Newtonian viscosity o...