Background

Patients who present with myocardial infarction (MI) and unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA) disease represent an extremely high-risk subset of patients. ULMCA percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents (DES) in MI patients has not been extensively studied.

Methods

In this retrospective multicenter international registry, we evaluated the clinical outcomes of 62 consecutive patients with MI who underwent ULMCA PCI with DES (23 ST-elevation MI [STEMI] and 39 non-ST-elevation MI [NSTEMI]) from 2002 to 2006.

Results

The mean age was 70 +/- 12 years. Cardiogenic shock was present in 24%. The mean EuroSCORE was 10 +/- 8. Angiographic success was achieved in all patients. Overall in-hospital major adverse cardiac event (MACE) rate was 10%, mortality was 8%, all due to cardiac deaths from cardiogenic shock, and one patient suffered a periprocedural MI. At 586 +/- 431 days, 18 patients (29%) experienced MACE, 12 patients (19%) died (the mortality rate was 47% in patients with cardiogenic shock), and target vessel revascularization was performed in four patients, all of whom had distal bifurcation involvement (two patients underwent repeat PCI and two patients underwent bypass surgery). There was no additional MI. Two patients had probable stent thrombosis and one had possible stent thrombosis. Diabetes [hazard ratio (HR) 4.22, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.07-17.36), P = 0.04), left ventricular ejection fraction [HR 0.94, 95% CI (0.90-0.98), P = 0.005), and intubation [HR 7.00, 95% CI (1.62-30.21), P = 0.009) were significantly associated with increased mortality.

Conclusions

Patients with MI and ULMCA disease represent a very high-risk subgroup of patients who are critically ill. PCI with DES appears to be technically feasible, associated with acceptable long-term outcomes, and a reasonable alternative to surgical revascularization for MI patients with ULMCA disease. Randomized trials are needed to determine the ideal revascularization strategy for these patients.

Background/objectives

Stent underexpansion is a risk factor for in-stent restenosis and stent thrombosis. Existing techniques to optimize stent expansion are sometimes ineffective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of Excimer Laser Coronary Angioplasty (ELCA) in improving stent expansion when high-pressure non-compliant balloon inflation was ineffective.

Methods and results

ECLA ablation was performed at high energy during contrast injection and only within the underexpanded stent. The primary endpoint of successful laser dilatation was defined as an increase of at least 1mm(2) in minimal stent cross-sectional area (MSA) on IVUS or an increase of at least 20% in minimal stent diameter (MSD) by QCA, following redilatation with the same non-compliant balloon that had been unsuccessful prior to ELCA. Secondary endpoints were cardiac death, myocardial infarction (MI) and target lesion revascularization. Between June 2009 and November 2011, 28 patients with an underexpanded stent despite high-pressure balloon inflation were included. The mean laser catheter size was 1.2±0.4 (range 0.9-2.0mm) and a mean of 62±12mJ/mm(2) at 62±21hertz were required for optimal expansion. Laser-assisted stent dilatation was successful in 27 cases (96.4%), with an improvement in MSD by QCA (1.6±0.6mm at baseline to 2.6±0.6mm post-procedure) and MSA by IVUS (3.5±1.1mm(2) to 7.1±1.9mm(2)). Periprocedural MI occurred in 7.1%, transient slow-flow in 3.6% and ST elevation in 3.6%. During follow-up, there were no MIs, there was 1 cardiac-death, and TLR occurred in 6.7%.

Conclusions

The ELLEMENT study confirms the feasibility of ELCA with contrast injection to improve stent underexpansion in undilatable stented lesions.

Aims

To evaluate the occurrence of late and very late stent thrombosis (ST) following elective drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation in unprotected left main coronary artery (LMCA) stenosis in a large multicentre registry.

Methods and results

All 731 consecutive patients who had sirolimus- or paclitaxel-eluting stent electively implanted in de novo lesions on unprotected LMCA in five centres were included. ST was defined according to Academic Research Consortium definitions. Four (0.5%) patients had a definite ST: three early (two acute and one subacute) and one late ST, no cases of very late definite ST were recorded. All patients survived from the event. Three patients had a probable ST. Therefore, 7/731 (0.95%) patients had a definite or a probable ST and all were on dual antiplatelet therapy at the time of the event. Possible (eight late and 12 very late) ST occurred in 20 (2.7%) patients. At 29.5 ± 13.7 months follow-up, a total of 45 (6.2%) patients had died; 31 (4.2%) of cardiac death. Ninety five (12.9%) patients had a target-vessel and 76 (10.4%) a target-lesion revascularization. Angiographic follow-up was performed in 548 patients (75%): restenosis occurred in 77 (14.1%) patients.

Conclusion

Elective treatment of LMCA stenosis with DES appears safe with a 0.9% incidence of definite and probable ST at 29.5 ± 13.7 months.