This study included 201 patients suffering ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome and randomized to the use of optical coherence tomography (OCT) versus conventional angiography for the procedure. OCT-guided group used more stents per patient (1.4 versus 1.2, p = 0.03) and greater release pressure. During control OCT suboptimal results were found in a third of...

The paclitaxel-eluting balloon could be an option to minimize the side branch restenosis in coronary bifurcations. In this study, the angiographic and clinical outcomes of paclitaxel-eluting balloon plus conventional stent versus DES in bifurcation “de novo” lesion were compared.  This multicenter study included 108 patients randomized to sequential dilation of the main branch and the...

The use of drug-eluting stents versus bare metal stents is controversial in some clinical situations in patients at high risk of bleeding.This study randomized 1606 patients considered at low risk of restenosis but with high risk of bleeding receiving Zotarolimus eluting stent (Endeavor) or conventional stent.The clinical characteristics were similar between the two groups with...

Randomized prospective study comparing the everolimus-eluting polymer-coated stent versus a biodegradable polymer with biolimus coated stent.  While the use of first generation DES effectively reduces restenosis and reintervention rates, several meta-analyzes have shown a higher rate of late events of thrombotic origin associated with inflammatory phenomena and delayed reendothelialization at the site of implantation compared...

 This trial is a prospective evaluation of DESolveTM bioabsorbable coronary stent implantation in a 15 patient cohort enrolled in New Zealand and Belgium. At 6 months follow up, late lumen loss was 0,19 mm, binary restenosis was 0% and thrombosis was absent. OCT evaluation showed excellent stent apposition, and 98% of evaluated struts were covered...

Background: Octogenarian patients represent an increasingly growing population. In addition, this age group has a higher proportion of co-morbidities with more extensive and complex coronary disease. However, they have often been excluded from major studies, whose average age is usually 60 years. Despite having a more complex coronary anatomy, the role of pharmacological stent (DES)...

Summary: Second-generation drug-eluting stents have shown better results than their predecessors. In this study we compare two second-generation drug stents in patients with unprotected left coronary trunk injuries. Methods and results: 650 patients with unprotected trunk injury were randomized to either XIENCE V (everolimus eluting) or RESOLUTE (zotarolimus eluting) stents. The primary endpoint was the...

Introduction: The popliteal artery is a vessel considered unfavorable for the implantation of a stent due to the forces exerted in the popliteal fossa during limb flexion, which could fracture the stent antlers and compromise the outcome of the procedure at long-term. So far, stents used in popliteal lesions have not been compared with balloon...

Angioplasty of the unprotected distal left main coronary artery with 2 stents presents the less favorable results in the segment. The double kissing (DK) technique and Culotte technique have been reported as effective for the treatment of bifurcation lesions, however this has never been tested for left main coronary artery.  The DKCRUSH-III study investigated the...

Asymmetrical expansion of the stent produces an uneven neointimal growth and increases the risk of thrombosis. The study was divided into two parts: the first one aimed at comparing, in the acute phase and the medium term, the result of provisional bifurcation stenting technique with sirolimus-eluting stent vs everolimus-eluting stent (both guided by IVUS); the...