Bifurcated lesions are associated with higher complexity and restenosis. Sometimes implantation of two stents is necessary, requiring larger guiding catheters. We describe the implantation of two drug-eluting stents (DES) utilizing the balloon-crushing technique and 6 Fr catheters.
Methods: This was a prospective and observational study of a cohort of 15 consecutive patients with 1 bifurcated lesion treated with 2 DES through a 6 Fr catheter and the balloon-crushing technique between April and November 2005. The baseline characteristics of the patients, lesions and procedures were registered. Clinical follow up was obtained by telephone contact.
Results: Patient age ranged from 71.6+/- 9.4 years; 6 patients (40%) had diabetes; ejection fraction was 56 +/- 12%; radial access was used in 4 patients (26.6%). In 9 patients (60%) the target lesion was the left main artery; in 3 patients (20%) the target lesion was the LAD/diagonal and in the remaining 3 patients (20%), the target lesion was the circumflex/obtuse marginal. The median follow-up period was 316 days. There were 2 sudden deaths: 1 patient whose target lesion was the left main artery died 10 days following the procedure, and the other patient whose lesion was in the in LAD/diagonal died at day-187, 10 days following stent thrombosis. Both of them presented with severe ventricular dysfunction prior to the intervention. One patient required new percutaneous intervention due to in-segment restenosis in the left main artery. The composite major adverse cardiac events at follow up was 5 (33.3%, 2 deaths, 2 non-Q-wave myocardial infarctions and 1 revascularization).
Conclusions: This technique permits the treatment of bifurcated lesions with 2 stents using 6 Fr guiding catheters, which could be very useful in radial access procedures. However, though the angiographic results were very satisfactory, the events observed in the follow-up period require a word of caution about its mid-term safety.