A follow up study of major intimal dissections treated with perfusion balloon catheter.

ABSTRACT

Major intimal dissections during coronary angioplasty are an important cause of early morbidity and mortality. In the recent past various non-surgical modalities to manage such dissections have been developed. The choice of therapy among these needs knowledge not only of immediate success but also of long term results. Data on long term follow up of patients managed with prolonged balloon inflations using a perfusion balloon catheter is limited. We herein report our experience of twenty seven consecutive patients managed by prolonged dilatations using Stack perfusion balloon catheter. All the patients had a long dissection with luminal compromise, 6 (22%) had in addition an acute complete occlusion, and in 4 (15%) there was a thrombus. Only 6 (22%) needed an emergency CABG, with the remaining having an event free hospital stay. At follow up after 6-26 months, 7/21 (33%) had severe symptoms and 5 of them underwent coronary arteriography with four having a repeat successful dilatation. The findings of this study suggest that the perfusion balloon catheter is a useful modality for management of major dissections with a restenosis rate similar to that of primary PTCA. Randomised controlled trials are required to assess its efficacy vis a vis the newer therapeutic options like stents, lasers and atherectomy.