Comparison of in-hospital and follow-up results of directional atherectomy and stenting for ostial lesions of the left anterior descending coronary artery.

Lesions at the ostium of the left anterior descending coronary artery constitute a distinct group because of suboptimal results and higher restenosis rate after balloon angioplasty. Several non-balloon devices have been used to improve the outcome of dilatation of such lesions. We retrospectively compared the in-hospital and follow-up results of directional coronary artherectomy and stents for the treatment of ostial lesions of the left anterior descending artery. Out of 37 patients, 12 underwent directional coronary atherectomy and 25, stent implantation. The two strategies were deployed at different periods over the past five years. The baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics were comparable in the two groups. Directional coronary atherectomy was done using 7Fr atherocath with adjunctive balloon angioplasty in all. All the stents were deployed using moderate to high pressure balloon inflation after adequate predilatation. While the pre-procedure luminal diameter stenosis was similar in the two groups (87.3 +/- 8.8% vs 89.3 +/- 7.2%; p = NS), the residual stenosis was significantly lower in the stent group (5 +/- 2.8%) compared to directional coronary atherectomy (18.7 +/- 9.8; p = 0.02). There was no significant difference in the primary success rate between the two devices (91.6% directional coronary atherectomy vs 100% stent; p = NS). One patient in the directional coronary atherectomy group developed acute closure followed by emergency coronary artery bypass graft surgery and death. No major complication was observed in the stent group. Over a mean follow-up of 9.9 +/- 11.6 months following directional coronary atherectomy and 8.6 +/- 4.4 months after stenting, significantly higher number of patients (60%) developed recurrence of angina or any event following directional coronary atherectomy compared to stent (15.8%; p < 0.02). There was no myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass graft surgery or death in either group on follow-up. The need for target lesion revascularisation was significantly higher in the directional coronary atherectomy group (50%) compared to stenting (10.5%; p < 0.02). Comparing directional coronary atherectomy with stent, the event-free survival was 80 percent vs 94.7 percent at three months and 50 percent vs 84.7 percent, both at six and nine months, respectively. In conclusion, stenting of the left anterior descending artery ostial lesion results in a significantly lesser post-procedure residual stenosis, improved in-hospital outcome, a lesser need for target lesion revascularisation and much improved event-free survival on follow-up as compared to directional coronary atherectomy. Therefore, stenting appears to be a more favourable treatment option compared to directional coronary atherectomy for the treatment of ostial lesions in the left anterior descending artery.

Perfuração de artéria coronária com rotablator / Coronary artery perforation with rotational coronary atherectomy

The authors describe a rare case of circumflex coronary artery perforation during rotational coronary atherectomy complicated with cardiac tamponade and good outcome. The possible causes of perforation are discussed and the burr oversize (burr/artery ratio was 0.58) was refused. Shortening and artery plicature (accordeon effect) might have been the cause of this event. Quantitative measurement was made in order to strengthen this hypothesis. It is emphasized the importance of selecting lesions that should be submitted to rotational coronary atherectomy

É relatado caso raro de perfuração da artéria circunflexa durante aterectomia rotacional (AR), complicado com tamponamento cardíaco, que evoluiu favoravelmente. São discutidas as prováveis causas, afastando a possibilidade da ocorrência de um superdimensionamento da oliva utilizada (relação de diâmetro oliva-artéria foi de 0,58), e é sugerido o encurtamento e plicatura da artéria (efeito sanfona) como provável causa dessa perfuração. São feitas medidas quantitativas para reforçar essa hipótese, e ressaltam-se os cuidados necessários na escolha das lesões a serem submetidas à ablação com AR

Aterectomia coronária direcional: experiência inicial / Directional coronary atherectomy: the initial experience

Four male patients, 38 to 59 years-old (mean 49 ± 2.5), with angina and the angiographic features has been the classical indications for the method, underwent directional coronary atherectomy. Vessels treated were, respectively, left anterior descending artery (LAD), right coronary artery (RCA), saphenous vein graft (SVG) to LAD and SVG to left marginal branch. Reductions to 50 % or less of the internal diameter was considered a satisfactory result. Early success was obtained in all four patients. Obstructions of 75 to 95% (mean of 83 + 7.5°/O) were reduced to 0-25% (mean 12 ± 5%) after atherectomy. Only one patient died suddenly five days after de procedure. So, directional coronary atherectomy may represent a reliable and safe method for special situations

Quatro pacientes, do sexo masculino, com idades entre 38 a 59 (média = 49 ± 2,5) anos, com angina de peito e as características angiográficas enquadrandose nas indicações atuais do método utilizado, realizaram aterectomia oronária direcional. Os vasos dilatados foram coronária descendente anterior, coronária direita, ponte de safena para a coronária descendente anterior e ponte de safena para o 2° ramo marginal da artéria coronária circunflexa. Resultado satisfatório, após a realização do procedimento, foi considerado a redução da obstrução a valores menores ou iguais a 50 %. O sucesso inicial da aterectomia coronária foi observado em todos os pacientes. O grau de obstrução dos vasos abordados reduziu-se de 75 - 95% (média de 83 7,5%) para 0-25% (média de 12 ± 5%) pós aterectomia. Apenas um paciente faleceu subitamente no 5° dia. Assim, a aterectomia coronária direcional, em situações específicas, parece ser um procedimento eficaz e seguro