Background: The aim of the study was to assess the safety, feasibility and efficacy of mechanical distal protection during primary angioplasty using FilterWire EZ (FW).
Method and results: Thirty-one patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) were treated by primary angioplasty with distal protection using FW. The results were compared with a matched control group consisting of 33 patients with AMI treated by primary angioplasty alone. Successful FW positioning was obtained in 30 patients (97%). In these patients a lower rate of distal embolisation (3 vs. 18%, p=0.04) was found and a more effective reperfusion was assessed by ST elevation's resolution >50% immediately after the procedure (83 vs. 61%, p=0.05). A higher number of patients with corrected TIMI frame count <27 in FW group supported more effective reperfusion to but this difference did not reached statistical significance (87 vs. 73%, p=0.09). There were no differences between groups regarding average peak CK and CK-MB. However, there is a trend to lower release in FW group (32.1+/-24.5 vs. 35.3+/-31.0, p=0.33; 4.2+/-3 vs. 4.4+3.7, p=0.44).
Conclusions: The presented study confirmed that distal embolisation during primary angioplasty is a frequent phenomenon. In this setting, adjunctive use of the FW is feasible and save, and it may improve myocardial reperfusion by reducing the embolic events.