Multiple intracoronary stenting in native coronary arteries and saphenous vein grafts: A single center experience

Objective: To determine the early and late clinical outcomes following mult iple stent deployment during a single percutaneous transluminal coronary an gioplasty (PTCA) procedure. Methods: All patients who received two or more stents during a single PTCA were reviewed. An analysis was made of 114 pati ents (mean age = 61.2 years). A total of 268 stents were deployed, range 2- 6 stents per PTCA (mean = 2.4). Stenting was performed as a primary procedu re in 38 patients, for arterial dissection in 44, and for threatened closur e in 32. At least two stents were deployed in the same vessel in 101 (88.6% ) patients. Before discharge from hospital, there were 4 (3.6%) deaths, 6 ( 5.2%) patients required emergency coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), a nd 2 (1.8%) patients required repeat PTCA. Three (2.6%) patients sustained acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The mean follow-up period was 10.6 month s. After leaving hospital, there were no deaths, 5 (4.4%) patients required CABG, and 5 (4.4%) had a further PTCA. There was one (0.9%) AMI. The total event rate was 19.2%, which compares well with single stent trials in whic h event rates of 20.1% and 19.5% were reached. In addition, 19 (16.7%) pati ents had a recurrence of symptoms. Conclusion: It is possible to deploy mul tiple stents at a single intervention in the same or different vessels safe ly and with clinical outcomes that are similar to those in studies of singl e coronary stenting.