RAPID REVERSAL OF NO-REFLOW USING ABCIXIMAB AFTER CORONARY DEVICE INTERVENTION

The no-reflow phenomenon is a reduction in epicardial coronary artery blood flow without mechanical vessel obstruction, Early descriptions o f this syndrome involved reperfusion after myocardial infarction, More recently, the no-reflow phenomenon has been recognized after brief is chemic times associated with coronary interventions, It is clearly a n egative prognostic indicator, The proposed mechanism is multi-factoria l and may involve small vessel vasospasm and potentially platelet-medi ated loss of capillary autoregulation, Because of the potential role o f platelets in the genesis of the no-reflow state, we administered Abc iximab to two patients with no-reflow phenomenon following catheter in terventions, In both of these settings, rapid distal runoff was reesta blished within minutes after treatment with the platelet glycoprotein 28/3A inhibitor. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.