ABSTRACT
The effects of the duration of balloon inflation on the immediate and mid-term results of angioplasty were assessed in a randomized study initiated in June 1992. To date, 239 lesions in 224 consecutive patients were allocated randomly into 2 groups according to the duration of balloon inflation: short duration (123 lesions): 3 or 4 successive inflations, each < or = 1 mn, for a total duration < or = 3 min; long duration (116 lesions): 3 to 5 inflations, each of 4 to 5 minutes each for a total duration > or = 12 min. Patients with acute myocardial infarction, restenosis and lesions of bypass grafts were excluded. Stenosis (% of reduction of the internal diameter) was calculated with a digitalised Philips DCI system. Success was defined by < 50% residual stenosis in the absence of severe complications: death, emergency bypass surgery, infarction and extensive and/or occlusive dissection. The baseline clinical, haemodynamic and angiographic parameters of the two groups were comparable. The residual stenosis after angioplasty in the "short duration" group was 33 +/- 11% and 29 +/- 11% in the "long duration" group (p < 0.05). The primary success rate was 75% in the "short duration" compared to 89% in the "long duration" group (< 0.001). Angiographic dissection after angioplasty was observed in 38 cases in the "short" but only in 17 cases in the "long duration" group (p < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
