SUCCESSFUL PREDILATION OF A RESISTANT, HEAVILY CALCIFIED LESION WITH CUTTING BALLOON FOR CORONARY STENTING - A CASE-REPORT

A 65-year-old man with a restenotic lesion of the mid LAD was schedule d for Wiktor stent placement. The IVUS revealed circumferential severe calcification. Two conventional, non-compliant angioplasty balloons i nflated to high pressures failed to achieved sufficient dilatation and both ruptured. At this point, we selected high pressure inflation of the Cutting Balloon. The Cutting Balloon achieved adequate dilation fo r stenting and proved to be useful in predilating a circumferential, h eavily calcified lesion. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.