SERIAL INTRAVASCULAR ULTRASOUND PREDICTORS OF RESTENOSIS AT THE MARGINS OF PALMAZ-SCHATZ STENTS

To evaluate predictors of restenosis at margins of Palmaz-Schatz stent s, intravascular ultrasound studies were performed after intervention and at follow-up (5.4 months) in 161 stented lesions. Of 301 stent mar gins, 77 (26%) were restenotic at follow-up (>50% late lumen loss). In timal hyperplasia was greater for restenotic than for nonrestenotic st ents margins. The dominant periprocedural predictor of stent margin re stenosis was the plaque burden of the continuous reference segment.