Active clinical trials for "Constriction, Pathologic"

The purpose of this study is to assess the safety and performance of the 23mm Portico Transcatheter Heart Valve and the TAVI Transapical Delivery System in subjects with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis

Aortic stenosis is the most common valvular heart disease and an important public-health problem. Surgical or interventional aortic valve replacement are based on symptoms and measures of valvular and ventricular function using echocardiography.There is no uniform pattern of progression. Instead, marked differences not only between individuals, but also during the time course of the disease can be observed. Several prospective studies have been performed to enhance the predictability of disease behavior. Individually it is still prone to large errors and hard to predict aortic stenosis progression. Therefore, in patients with aortic sclerosis without severe stenosis, it is desirable to find a strong predictor of rapid disease progression. This would allow anticipating cardiovascular deterioration by identifying individuals at particular risk. Study Hypothesis In patients with aortic sclerosis, increased serum calcification propensity, as measured by the T50-Test, is related to the amount of stenosis progression in one year.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the use of intravascular paclitaxel, in addition to standard therapy, for the treatment of arteriovenous dialysis access fistula stenosis. A fistulogram will be performed in standard fashion. The diagnostic component will include evaluation of the inflow artery, arterial anastomosis and full length of the fistula vein or graft, plus venous return up to the heart. The location, vessel size, lesion diameter and percent stenosis for each lesion will be recorded. Enrollment and randomization will occur at this point. All patients will then receive standard therapy for their stenosis. This will include intravenous heparin administered in a standard dose of 70 units/kg. Lesions that respond poorly to angioplasty (>30% residual stenosis after angioplasty treatment with 2 inflations) will be stented. Stent selection will be based on clinical setting. Initial stent treatment will utilize an uncovered nitinol stent. Treatment of in-stent restenosis will include initial balloon angioplasty, and use of a covered stent (Viabahn, GORE, or Fluency, Bard). Documentation of location and type of treatment for each lesion treated will be recorded. Once standard treatment is completed, the operating surgeon will be informed of the results of randomization: treatment (paclitaxel) or control. For subjects assigned to treatment, the whole fistula vein outflow segment of the fistula will be treated with paclitaxel. The full length of the radial artery from 1 cm of its origin to fistula anatomosis will be treated with paclitaxel. In addition the anastomosis and first 4 cm of the fistula vein will be treated. Paclitaxel solution treatment of each lesion encountered will be attempted until the 20 mg Paclitaxel dose limit is met. The volume administered will depend on the diameter and length of the vessels treated. Maximization of the length of vessel and lesions treated will be undertaken when there are more lesions than can be accommodated by the 12 mg, 10 ml dose available. A 5 F sheath, 20 cm in length, will be used to administer the paclitaxel. This will be advanced from its distal position in the radial artery over the guidewire so that the tip of the sheath is in the proximal radial artery. Prior to removal of the sheath, a final angiographic study of all areas treated is performed to document patency and lesion appearance. Any additional lesions identified with this study are then treated appropriately following standard technique. For the control group, instead of paclitaxel administration, a sham treatment period of 10 minutes is allowed to elapse followed by the performance of the final completion angiogram. Any additional lesions identified with this study are then treated appropriately following standard technique. All patients will follow the same follow up evaluation schedule

Title: Efficacy and safety of rivaroxiban compare with vitamin K antagonist warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation and mitral stenosis among Pakistani population.

Stenting is an alternative to traditional surgery in the treatment of carotid stenosis.The intra and/or postprocedural cerebral embolization remains the most frequent complication. Thanks to the systematic use of cerebral protection systems, these complications have reduced.A debate concerning which cerebral protective device should be more effective is still ongoing.

The purpose of this study is to look at the safety (what are the side effects) and efficacy (how well does it work) of Magnevist (the study drug) used for MRI of the calf and foot arteries. The results will be compared to the results of MRI taken without Magnevist, and with the results of your X-ray angiography.

This study is looking at the effects of high spinal anesthesia (also known as total spinal anesthesia) combined with general anesthesia versus general anesthesia alone on the following: Stress response: Patients undergoing aortic valve replacement surgery have a large incision and a complex operation where they must be placed on the heart-lung machine. The body reacts to the heart-lung machine, increasing the stress response. High spinal anesthesia using local anesthetics when combined with general anesthesia has been shown to block some of the stress response to surgery and the response to the heart-lung machine. This study will examine if blood levels of stress hormones and also inflammatory mediators can be lowered with the use of high spinal anesthesia. Heart function: High spinal anesthesia in combination with general anesthesia may help the heart work better when there is a narrowed valve (aortic stenosis). The heart may also have improved ability to pump blood with this anesthetic technique. Lung function and post-operative pain control: After surgery, patients often have pain which prevents them from taking deep breaths and coughing. This can lead to pneumonia. This study will also examine if the post-operative pain relief provided by spinal morphine (given together with the spinal anesthetic) can provide any better pain control following surgery. By doing this, we want to see if patients can take bigger breaths after their surgery when spinal morphine is used, and try to prevent the complications that occur if patients are not able to breath deeply after surgery.

The proposed study will investigate the efficacy of the peripheral cutting balloon (PBC) compared to the high pressure balloon in dilating venous stenosis in hemodialysis fistulas. 2. SPECIFIC AIMS Study endpoints will be: Primary Endpoint 1. Primary and assisted patency at 6 months Secondary Endpoints: Procedure effectiveness/residual stenosis Procedure-related complications Primary patency and primary assisted patency 12 months Secondary patency at 6 and 12 months Number/type of secondary interventions.

Microparticles are small cell fragments that can induce fat plaques, calcification and formation of thrombus. They can be released through multiple stimulations, but also the high flow of blood through partially obstructed aortic valves. In patients with severely obstructed aortic valves the investigators hypothesize that microparticles levels will be elevated and that they will go down after percutaneous treatment of the valves.

In this prospective study, patients with carotid stenosis will be randomly assigned to one of the two surgical procedures (carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid stenting (CAS)). Pre- and postoperative neuropsychological functions, levels of several biomarkers and intraoperative embolization load will be examined. In a subgroup of patients, MRI-data will also be gathered. The mix of these data will allow us to answer several questions regarding the absence or presence of preoperative impairments, postoperative changes in cognitive performance and possible differences between CEA and CAS regarding postoperative neuropsychological functions. The use of a matched control group and implementation of a long term follow-up will contribute to the uniqueness of this study. It will meet several flaws of previous studies and will complete the ongoing randomized studies comparing CEA and CAS that are lacking neuropsychological data.