DOES THE SPEED OF BALLOON DEFLATION AFFECT THE COMPLICATION RATE OF CORONARY ANGIOPLASTY

Two hundred consecutive coronary arteries in 157 patients undergoing a ngioplasty were randomized to fast or slow balloon deflation. Angiopla sty was successful in 188 cases (101 with slow and 87 with fast deflat ion). There was no significant difference between the 2 groups with re gard to the total number of dissections, although there was a greater number in the slow deflation group, and no difference in the number of minor dissections (National Heart, lung and Blood Institute types A a nd B). There was a significantly greater number of more severe dissect ions (types C to F) in the slow deflation group (20 vs 5; p = 0.013). It is proposed that the greater number of severe dissections is due to either increased turbulence or movement of the partially deflated bal loon during slow deflation. Thus, slow balloon deflation during corona ry angioplasty is associated with a higher complication rate than is c onventional rapid deflation.