In the era of instant global communication, medicine is an international discipline characterized by a wide range of patient referral systems, world-wide discussion of clinical and research findings, and an explosion in the medical literature. Perhaps no field has progressed more than cardiology in the past few years. Contemporary Concepts in Cardiology has been conceived as a supplement to the classic cardiology textbooks for the use of practicing physicians, cardiologists-in-training, medical students, and research investigators. This volume focuses on associations between refinements in the understanding of disease and clinical applications. The material is presented in a way that limns the latest advances and focuses thinking towards future developments in cardiology. The Editors have assembled a respected international panel of contributors so that each chapter is authored by a well-known specialist in his or her field. Every attempt was made to avoid the fragmentation which often characterizes the digest approach. Because the constant flow of information makes it nearly impossible to construct a timely book on advances in cardiology, the chapters in this volume describe the current concepts in cardiology and their underlying rationale, rather than attempting a comprehensive review of the most recent papers in each discipline.

Chronic total occlusions (CTO) are common, and found in approximately one third of patients with significant coronary artery disease who undergo angiography. CTO constitute one of the main criteria when selecting between angioplasty and bypass surgery. Angioplasty for CTO is intricate and requires excellent operator skill, but even when performed under the best circumstances, it is plagued by lower success rates when compared to non-total occlusions. The main difficulty with CTO lies not with choosing which stent to use, but rather occurs during earlier steps of crossing the lesion and advancing the wire into the true lumen of the distal vessel. Having accomplished this, the rates of restenosis are prohibitively high. Mehran, Dangas and an international team of experienced operators offer the reader sound advice on the evaluation and management of CTO in both the coronary and peripheral vascular systems. Their practical guidance should aid all those working with this difficult subset of patients.

ENDOVASCULAR INTERVENTIONS A practical and systematic approach to current endovascular surgical techniques An increasingly popular alternative to open vascular surgery, endovascular intervention offers many advantages, including reduced patient discomfort, smaller incisions, shorter recovery time, and decreased risk of adverse complications. Practitioners and trainees alike require expert guidance on current technologies and up-to-date techniques. Endovascular Interventions provides clinicians with an easy-to-follow guide for minimally invasive treatment of vascular disease. This invaluable resource delivers concise and accurate instructions on a wide range of endovascular interventions, including aorta, renal and mesenteric interventions, lower extremity interventions, venous interventions, and supra-aortic interventions in high-risk patients. Sequential phases of skill development broaden the reader’s abilities as they progress through each chapter, supplying step-by-step instructions on when each procedure should be used and how it can be safely and effectively performed. This book offers a complete reference to essential techniques and procedures, suitable for both novice and experienced vascular surgeons, cardiologists, and radiologists. Endovascular Interventions also: Reinforces comprehension of each procedure with templated chapters, equipment lists and boxed key learning points Provides full-color clinical images and detailed illustrations to demonstrate surgical procedures Presents authoritative coverage of modern endovascular technologies and techniques Written by a team of respected experts and practicing surgeons from internationally recognized hospitals and universities Suitable for varying skill levels, Endovascular Interventions is a precise, accessible instruction manual for safe and effective endovascular intervention, helping practicing clinicians sharpen their existing abilities and keep pace with the latest surgical technologies while instructing trainees on this innovative approach to vascular surgery.

Expert guidance from internationally recognized authorities, who provide clear and current updates on all aspects of interventional cardiology. This new edition; * Contains a radically expanded chapter contents list presented in four clear sections; coronary interventions, interventional pharmacology, structural heart interventions, and endovascular therapy * Includes 46 new chapters, including the latest advances in bioresorbable coronary stents, advanced transcatheter aortic valve replacement, MitraClip, new transcatheter mitral valve interventions, and more * Chapters are templated for rapid referral, beginning with pathophysiological background and relevant pathology, moving to mechanisms of treatment, device description, procedural techniques, follow-up care, and ending with risks, contraindications and complications * Multiple choice questions at the end of each chapter for self-assessment, a total of more than 400 MCQs in the book * Features 19 procedural videos, hosted on a companion website

This issue of Interventional Cardiology Clinics reviews pharmacologic agents currently used to treat patients in the cath lab. All the pharmaceutical knowledge an interventionalist needs is summarized in this handy reference.

Chronic total occlusions (CTO) are common, and found in approximately one third of patients with significant coronary artery disease who undergo angiography. CTO constitute one of the main criteria when selecting between angioplasty and bypass surgery. Angioplasty for CTO is intricate and requires excellent operator skill, but even when performed under the best circumstances, it is plagued by lower success rates when compared to non-total occlusions. The main difficulty with CTO lies not with choosing which stent to use, but rather occurs during earlier steps of crossing the lesion and advancing the wire into the true lumen of the distal vessel. Having accomplished this, the rates of restenosis are prohibitively high. Mehran, Dangas and an international team of experienced operators offer the reader sound advice on the evaluation and management of CTO in both the coronary and peripheral vascular systems. Their practical guidance should aid all those working with this difficult subset of patients.