Volume 17 Number 3

In this issue, we start with a State of the Art on completeness of revascularisation in ACS. In the coronary section: using intravascular ultrasound for pre-stenting evaluation; incidence and management of device entrapment in chronic total occlusions; a novel parameter to measure failed microcirculatory reperfusion – thermodilution-derived temperature recovery time; invasive assessment of the coronary microcirculation. A mini focus on drug-eluting stents with the BioFreedom QCA trial; drug-coated versus bare metal stents in Academic Research Consortium-defined high bleeding risk patients; preclinical research evaluating differences in thromboresistance and albumin retention of three drug-eluting stents and the eventual impact on shortening dual antiplatelet therapy. In the valvular disease section: feasibility and safety of transcatheter mitral valve implantation in patients with prior transcatheter or surgical aortic valve replacement. In the peripheral: section directional atherectomy as an alternative to surgical endarterectomy for treating common femoral artery lesions.