Endovascular stent placing in the treatment of coronary artery disease. Angiographic, immediate and late clinical results

Background: Coronary revascularization allows a better survival and quality of life in high risk patients with coronary artery disease. Aim: To report the experience in stent placement as treatment for obstructive atheroscler otic coronary artery disease. Patients and methods: A prospective analysis of 105 stent placements. A morphological and quantitative analysis of coron ary angiograms, using an electronic caliper, was performed. Patients were f ollowed during their hospital stay and after discharge. Results: In four of 112 coronary lesions, it was not possible to liberate the stent and in 108 , it was successfully placed (48 in anterior descending, 19 in circumflex, 36 in right coronary arteries and 5 in saphenous aortocoronary by-pass. Les ions with stent implantation were type A in 11%, B1 in 30%, B2 in 44% and C in 15%. Reference diameter was 3.13 +/- 0.58 mm. After placement, luminal diameter increased from 0 95 +/- 0.43 to 2.99 +/- 0.46 mm, with a final ste nosis of 7.2 +/- 10.1%. Angiographic success was obtained in 99% and proced ure success in 98%. Hospital mortality was 0.98%. After a mean of eight mon ths follow up, 91% of patients is free of major cardiac events. In 17% angi na recurred and 5% required a new revascularization. There were no late car diac deaths, acute stent thrombosis or infarction in relation to the treate d lesion. Conclusion: In these patients, stent placement has had excellent immediate and late results.