S. Foussas et al., INTRACORONARY PALMAZ-SCHATZ STENT PLACEMENT AFTER COMPLICATED ANGIOPLASTY - MEDIUM-TERM FOLLOW-UP, Acta cardiologica, 49(3), 1994, pp. 241-249
Acute or impending coronary artery occlusion during percutaneous coron
ary balloon angioplasty represents a serious and potentially life-thre
atening complication. We studied the clinical and angiographic outcome
in 21 patients who underwent emergent intracoronary Palmaz-Schatz ste
nt implantation (11 due to persistent residual stenosis and 10 due to
flow-limiting dissection) during complicated balloon angioplasty and w
ho were followed for a mean period of 7.9 +/- 5.7 months. Excluding on
e patient lost to follow-up, the event-free survival rate was 70 %. Si
x (30 %) patients developed adverse clinical events. One died and 3 re
quired elective revascularization procedures. One subacute stent throm
bosis was documented. Acute Q-wave myocardial infarction occurred in 2
patients. Among 9 patients studied angiographically 5.6 +/- 2.5 month
s after stent placement, 2 had developed restenosis (>50% luminal narr
owing). Eleven have remained essentially symptom free. For selected pa
tients, emergent deployment of a Palmaz-Schatz coronary stent, followi
ng complicated balloon angioplasty, offers satisfactory long-term resu
lts, thus obviating the need for a high risk emergency bypass surgery.