ROTATIONAL ATHERECTOMY WITH ADJUNCTIVE BALLOON ANGIOPLASTY VERSUS CONVENTIONAL PERCUTANEOUS TRANSLUMINAL CORONARY ANGIOPLASTY IN TYPE B2 LESIONS - RESULTS OF A RANDOMIZED STUDY

A randomized pilot study was performed comparing conventional balloon angioplasty (percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty [PTCA] gro up) and rotational atherectomy (RA) with a medium size burr (50% to 70 % burr/artery ratio) with systematic adjunctive balloon angioplasty (R A group) in type B2 stenosis. A total of 64 patients were included. Pr imary success was 93.7% in the RA group and 87.5% in the PTCA group (p = NS). Technical failure with no complication occurred once in each g roup. Acute complications occurred in three patients in the PTCA group and in one in the RA group. Angiographic restenosis rates were simila r (RA group: 39%, PTCA group: 42%, p = NS) with a follow-up rate of 93 %. In type B2 lesions, when compared with conventional angioplasty, PA with systematic balloon angioplasty does not seem to increase procedu ral success, and the restenosis rate remains comparable. However, thes e results must be confirmed in a larger series of patients.