Search

Background: Although randomized, controlled clinical trials (RCTs) showed a reduced target vessel revascularization rate and a good safety profile for the sirolimus-eluting coronary Cypher stent, at least the safety data need to be confirmed by larger data in clinical practice. Under the circumstances of frozen medical budgets in Germany, there may also be a shift toward implantation of a drug-eluting stent (DES) for indications not yet evaluated by RCTs., Methods: The authors analyzed the data of the German Cypher Registry a nationwide registry which was initiated in parallel to the launch of the first DES, the Cypher stent, in April 2002., Results: From April 2002 until December 2003, 3,579 interventions using a Cypher stent at 102 centers were included in the German Cypher Registry. This reflects a proportion of this DES compared to all stents implanted at the participating centers of < 10%. Patients' median age was 63.4 years (quartiles: 55-70 years) with 75% men. Renal insufficiency was seen in 10.1%, previous myocardial infarction in 37%, prior percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in 54.6%, and prior coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in 18.7%. In a large proportion of interventions, Cypher stents were implanted in lesions or in clinical situations not yet evaluated by RCTs: 10.1% ST elevation myocardial infarction, 1.8% cardiogenic shock, 2.1% left main stenoses, 5.5% CABG lesions, 23.2% in-stent stenosis, and 6% chronic total occlusions. PCI before DES implantation was performed in 65.5% of cases, a mean of 1.02 +/- 0.43 Cypher stents per lesion were implanted with a median sum length of all Cypher stents per lesion of 18 mm (quartiles: 13-21 mm). Maximum median balloon diameter during stent implantation was 3.00 mm (quartiles: 2.75-3.00 mm). Acute complication rate was low, with 0.2% deaths, 0.3% subacute stent thromboses, 1.3% myocardial infarctions, 2.1% urgent PCIs, and 0.2% CABGs., Conclusion: In about one half of the patients included into the German Cypher Registry, the DES were implanted in lesions that were excluded from RCTs. The use of this sirolimus-eluting coronary stent in "real life" conditions was found to be safe concerning acute complications.

The aim of this prospective study was to analyze the technical feasibility, success rate and special complications of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) using a newly released 5 French (Fr) guiding catheter with an inner diameter of 0.058 . The study was performed in 1,200 consecutive patients subjected to coronary angioplasty. In 92% of the patients, the intervention was started with a 5 Fr catheter; in 8% of the patients, a 6 or 7 Fr catheter was used. In 5% of the 1,105 patients, the guiding catheter had to be changed during PCI from 5 Fr to a 6 or 7 Fr catheter. In 92% of the patients, the intervention was successfully performed using a 5 Fr catheter. In 3%, the overall success rate was 95% after changing the guiding catheter. Predictors of procedural failure with the 5 Fr guiding catheter were type C lesion morphology and a diameter stenosis of 99% and 100%. The success rate was 90% in acute functional occlusions and 63% in chronic total occlusions (CTO). In CTOs, predictors of procedural failure of the recanalizations using 5 Fr guiding catheters were sidebranch at the point of the total occlusion, complex lesion morphology type C and abrupt morphology of the occlusion. This study confirms that PCI was technically feasible using a 5 Fr guiding catheter in the majority of consecutive patients (success rate: 92%). There were significant differences in the success rate depending on the lesion type and the diameter stenosis.

The aim of this prospective study was to analyze the technical feasibility, the success rate, and the special complications of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) using a newly released 5 Fr guiding catheter with an inner diameter of 0.058". The study was performed in 150 consecutive patients subjected to coronary angioplasty. In 89% of the patients, the intervention was started with a 5 Fr catheter (JR4 or JL4); in 16 patients a 6 or 7 Fr catheter was used because of unstable clinical conditions according to the decision of the interventional cardiologist. In 12 out of 134 patients, the guiding catheter had to be changed during the intervention from 5 Fr to a 6 or 7 Fr catheter due to poor backup support. In 112 out of 118 patients, the intervention was successfully performed using a 5 Fr catheter (95%); in 12 out of 16 patients, after changing the guiding catheter, the overall success rate was 93%. In patients with type A and B lesions who were initially treated using a 5 Fr catheter, the procedural success rate was 100% (81 out of 81), whereas in patients with type C lesions the procedural success rate was 83% (43 out of 53; P = 0.000053, Fisher's exact test). Furthermore, in patients with a diameter stenosis < 90%, the procedural success rate was 100% (57 out of 57), whereas in patients with a diameter stenosis of 90%-100%, the procedural success rate was 87% (67 out of 77; P = 0.0050). Stent implantation was performed successfully in 24 patients (18%) using the 5 Fr guiding catheter. This study confirms that PCI was technically feasible using a 5 Fr guiding catheter in the majority of consecutive patients with a success rate of 95%. There were significant differences in the success rate depending on the lesion type and the diameter stenosis. Complications were very rare and were not related to the guiding catheter. Limitations of the 5 Fr guiding catheters arose mainly from a poor backup support in long lesions and severe stenosis. Cathet Cardiovasc Intervent 2001;53:308-312., (Copyright Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

We describe the occurrence of a localized saccular pseudoaneurysm in a 69-year-old patient 2 weeks after perforation of the left anterior descending coronary artery during balloon angioplasty in acute myocardial infarction. The therapy of perforations requires prolonged balloon inflations, perfusion balloons, covered stents, or surgery. Coronary peudoaneurysm formations are rare; their therapy requires covered stents or surgery. Cathet. Cardiovasc. Intervent. 47:341-346, 1999., (Copyright 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)