EVALUATION OF BODY-SURFACE POTENTIAL MAPPING CHANGES AFTER SUCCESSFULPERCUTANEOUS TRANSLUMINAL CORONARY ANGIOPLASTY

OBJECTIVE: To assess the progress of chronic myocardial ischemia after successful, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) usi ng body surface potential mapping (BSPM). DESIGN: For BSPM analysis th e following kings of maps were used: isopotential repolarization maps corresponding to 70% of ST-T interval's duration and isointegral maps corresponding to 0% to 20% of ST-T duration. BSPM measurements were ta ken before the PTCA and usually one to six days after this interventio n. In 17 patients BSPM was carried out within two days after PTCA. Ele ven to 14 BSPM examinations were usually carried out during six months of follow-up. Control coronary angiography was performed after six mo nths in all but three patients. RESULTS: Substantial focal decrease of positive potential in repolarization caused by myocardial ischemia re covered gradually after successful PTCA. This appeared to be caused by the regression of 'hibernating myocardium'. An increase of positive p otential was statistically significant (P<0.01) after the fifth week o f PTCA intervention. There was a positive correlation between BSPM fin dings and chest discomfort of patients after PTCA. Chronic myocardial ischemia could be observed on isopotential and/or isointegral maps exa mined before the PTCA in 21 of 25 cases (sensitivity 84%).