Angiographic and clinical outcomes after rescue coronary stenting

The role of coronary stenting in improving outcomes after failed thrombolys is has not been well described. This study represents a registry of rescue coronary interventions performed during a 3 year period in which interventi onal treatment was changing for this high risk population. We analyzed acut e angiographic results and clinical outcomes in 108 consecutive patients tr eated for thrombolytic failure with either balloon angioplasty (n = 63) or coronary stenting (n = 45). The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 5.5% , and there was no increase in complications in the stent group. Coronary s tenting was associated with improved angiographic results including lower r esidual stenosis in the culprit artery (15 +/- 10% vs. 31 +/- 22%, P < 0.00 1) without increasing bleeding complications. The rate of in-hospital and l ong term target vessel revascularization in the stent group was significant ly lower than in the unmatched PTCA group. Rescue coronary stenting is safe , improves acute angiographic results compared to PTCA alone and leads to e xcellent in-hospital and long term outcomes. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.