Elective Wiktor GX stenting for symptomatic stenosis in old aortocoronary saphenous vein bypass grafts: The Antwerp experience

Purpose. We compared initial outcome, peri-procedural complications and lon g-term clinical follow-up of elective Wiktor GX stent implantation in sever ely narrowed vein grafts to a historic register of elective angioplasties i n saphenous vein grafts in the same center. Methods. Eighty-one consecutive patients with angina and a history of coron ary artery bypass grafting (CABG), all received elective angioplasty (PTCA) of the diseased graft; we described them as group P. The next 38 consecuti ve patients were treated with elective angioplasty and Wiktor Stent implant ation, followed by one month ticlopidine; they were called group S. Conclusion. This retrospective study suggests that elective Wilder stenting in old saphenous vein graft stenosis, in combination with one month ticlop idine, leads to: 1) a better angiographic result, with reduction of peri-pr ocedural complications; and 2) a lower incidence of recurrent angina, need for invasive or surgical re-intervention, myocardial infarction and death d uring follow-up.