Clinical and angiographic outcomes are similar with half single, or multiple contiguous Palmaz-Schatz stent implantations for a single coronary stenosis

We compared the immediate and 6-month clinical and angiographic outcomes in patients undergoing a half, a single, or multiple contiguous stent implant ations for a single coronary stenosis. Four hundred forty-three consecutive patients, who underwent elective Palmaz-Schatz stent implantations for 542 stenoses between November 1995 and July 1998, were analyzed. Sixty-three p atients with 78 stenoses received a half stent (group A), 346 patients with 395 stenoses received a single stent (group B), and 68 patients with 69 st enoses received multiple overlapping stents (group C) for a single coronary stenosis. Seventy-eight half stents were implanted in 78 stenoses in group A, 395 stents in 395 stenoses in group 8, and 141 stents in 69 stenoses in group C. The baseline characteristics were similar in the 3 groups. There were no deaths, no subacute thrombosis, and no vascular complications. Fort y-nine patients with 57 stenoses in group A, 280 patients with 326 stenoses in group B, and 59 patients with 60 stenosis in group C underwent 6-month follow-up coronary angiography; the restenotic rate per patient was 10% in group A, 20% in group B, and 24% in group C (NS); the restnotic rate per st enosis was 9% in group A, 18% in group 8, and 23% in group C (NS). Follow-u p of 18 +/- 3 months revealed no differences in mortality, reinfarction, re current angina, target narrowing angioplasty, and elective coronary artery bypass surgery among the 3 groups. The overall cardiac event-free survival was 90%, 82%, and 83% in groups A, B, and C, respectively (p = 0.275). Thus , the procedural success rate, the inhospital morbidity, and the long-term outcome are similar with coronary stenting using a half, a single, or multi ple overlapping Palmaz-Schatz stents for a single stenosis. (C) 1999 by Exc erpta Medica, Inc.