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Coronary stenting in acute coronary syndromes might be associated with increased procedural complications and stent thrombosis risk. Heparin-coated stent (HCS) may improve procedural outcomes when treating these high-risk lesions. The purpose of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of HCS in patients with acute coronary syndromes and thrombus containing lesions.Between January 2001 and January 2002, 49 patients (42 male) with thrombus containing lesions (32 sustained acute myocardial infarction) received HC BX stents (HepaCoat) at our hospital. Procedural, hospital and six-month outcomes and quantitative angiographic analysis data were obtained from all patients.The mean age of patients was 58 +/- 14 years, 45% had multi-vessel disease and 24% were diabetics. Fifteen patients (31%) received a second HCS for sub-optimal results or threatened closure. Procedural success was achieved in 94% of patients. The mean stent diameter and length was 3.2 +/- 0.2 mm and 18.2 +/- 7.4 mm. The mean TIMI flow increased from 1.3 +/- 1.3 to 2.9 +/- 0.3 and the mean diameter stenosis before and after intervention was 84 +/- 21% and 12 +/- 14%. In-hospital and 30-day follow-up were eventually without occurrence of death, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, coronary bypass. At six-months follow-up, cardiac event-free survival was 89.8%, target vessel revascularization was 6.1 and 90% of patients were free of angina.In this series of patients with acute ischemic syndromes associated with visible thrombus, the use of HCS resulted in (1) favorable procedural and six-month outcomes, (2) no incidence of stent thrombosis, and (3) overall good cardiac prognosis at six-month follow-up.

To evaluate the feasibility of stenting without predilatation, we registered all interventional procedures over a 6-month period. Six hundred patients were registered, and 684 lesions were treated. Interventions were divided into four groups: stenting without predilatation (SWOP), 221 lesions (32.4%); primary stenting with predilatation (PDS), 161 lesions (23.5%); provisional stenting (PRS), 131 lesions (19.2%); and plain-old balloon angioplasty (POBA), 171 lesions (25%). Interventional strategy was at the discretion of the operator based on few simple angiographic criteria and his clinical judgment. Procedural success was similar in all stent groups. We conclude that when primary stenting is planned, about 60% of lesions can be treated by SWOP effectively with excellent procedural results and considerable cost saving.