The paclitaxel-eluting balloon is an emerging percutaneous coronary angioplasty tool which aim is to prevent restenosis by delivering a high intravessel paclitaxel dose during balloon inflation. It has been already approved in the treatment of bare metal stent restenosis and is being investigated in drug-eluting stent restenosis. For the treatment of de novo lesions, it could be used alone or in combination with bare metal stent implantation. Most interesting results were obtained by a drug-eluting balloon alone strategy in small vessels angioplasty. Current and upcoming results of this evolving technology are reviewed.
Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier SAS.