CORONARY ANGIOPLASTY USING A LOW-OSMOLAR NONIONIC CONTRAST-MEDIUM - ARETROSPECTIVE ANGIOGRAPHIC AND CLINICAL-EVALUATION

This study was performed to investigate the occurrence of acute angiog raphic and clinical complications following PTCA using a low osmolar n onionic contrast medium. Five hundred consecutive PTCA procedures were analyzed retrospectively. The incidence of acute in-laboratory compli cations during PTCA as well as complications occurring during the hosp ital stay 24 to 48 hours after the procedure were recorded. Occlusion of the dilated artery or a side branch was observed in 19 (3.8%) of th e procedures, major dissection in 34 (6.8%), and thrombus in 14 (2.8%) . One patient died, 6 (1.2%) required emergency coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), 4 (0.8%) required an emergency PTCA, and 7 (1.4%) su ffered myocardial infarction (MI). Our results show that angiographic findings of thrombus, major dissection and occlusion were serious cond itions that related to the clinical complications MI, emergency CABG a nd re-PTCA. Patients with unstable angina were risk patients for both angiographic and clinical complications. Low rates of intraarterial th rombus formation and coronary artery occlusion indicate good angiograp hic technique and anticoagulant and antiplatelet medication.