COMPARISON OF 6-MONTH RESULTS OF CORONARY STENTING VERSUS BALLOON ANGIOPLASTY ALONE IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION

The purpose of this study was to compare results of delayed elective s tent implantation on the infarct-related artery with conventional ball oon angioplasty in 97 patients with acute myocardial infarction at 7 t o 10 days after symptom onset (stenting in 45 patients, balloon angiop lasty in 52 patients). In selected patients, intracoronary stent impla ntation on the infarct-related artery at 7 to 10 days after symptom on set of acute myocardial infarction is safe, feasible, and may reduce t he the frequency of late restenosis compared with balloon angioplasty (the angiographic restenosis rate: 13% in patients with stents vs 52% in patients with balloon angioplasty, p <0.05).