HIGH-SPEED ROTATIONAL ATHERECTOMY - 6-MONTH SERIAL QUANTITATIVE CORONARY ANGIOGRAPHIC FOLLOW-UP

One hundred twenty-three patients treated with high-speed rotational a therectomy (HSRA) were restudied 6.9 +/- 1.2 months later. At the foll ow-up, the number of focal concentric lesions increased from 32.2% to 63.0%, p < 0.01, with decrease of type C lesions from 54.8% to 30.8%, p < 0.05. Comparison of the degree of the net gain (NG) showed more se vere baseline lesions in the high-gain group (NG > 20%) compared with the moderate-gain group (20% > NG > 0%) and to the loss group (minimal luminal diameter [MLD] 0.8 +/- 0.4 mm vs 1.0 +/- 0.4 mm, p < 0.05; an d 1.2 +/- 0.5 mm; p < 0.01, respectively). Highest initial gain (36.5% +/- 26.2% vs 24.5% +/- 18.1%; p < 0.015; and 19.0% +/- 23.2%; p < 0.0 01) as well as lowest late loss (1.8% +/- 21.7% vs 14.0% +/- 18.4%; p < 0.01 and 28.1% +/- 25.0%; p < 0.01) were found in the high NG group. A higher interaction between burr and atheroma resulted in the lowest restenosis rate of 6%.