Coronary stenting without predilatation (SWOP): Applicable technique in everyday practice

To evaluate the feasibility of stenting without predilatation, we registere d all interventional procedures over a 6-month period. Six hundred patients were registered, and 684 lesions were treated. Interventions were divided into four groups: stenting without predilatation (SWOP), 221 lesions (32.4% ); primary stenting with predilatation (PDS), 161 lesions (23.5%); provisio nal stenting (PRS), 131 lesions (19.2%); and plain-old balloon angioplasty (POBA), 171 lesions (25%). interventional strategy was at the discretion of the operator based on few simple angiographic criteria and his clinical ju dgment Procedural success was similar in all stent groups. We conclude that when primary stenting is planned, about 60% of lesions can be treated by S WOP effectively with excellent procedural results and considerable cost sav ing. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.