DIRECTIONAL ATHERECTOMY OF CORONARY AND SAPHENOUS-VEIN GRAFT OSTIAL STENOSIS

Directional coronary atherectomy (DCA) has been proposed as an alternative to balloon dilatation for treating coronary ostial stenoses, but the long-term efficacy of this procedure hers not been well studied. To determine the procedural success and long-term efficacy of DCA for ostial stenoses, clinical data from 1 large registry database and from 2 single centers were retrospectively reviewed. Patients included in the study underwent DCA of aortocoronary (left main or right coronary artery), non-aortocoronary (left anterior descending or circumflex), or vein graft ostial stenoses. In 158 patients undergoing DCA of 160 lesions (30 left main or right coronary, 73 left anterior descending or circumflex, and 57 vein graft stenoses), overall procedural success, defined as <50% residual stenosis with-out death, Q-wave myocardial infarction, or need for urgent bypass graft surgery, was 87%. The major complication rate was 0.6%. There were no deaths or Q-wave infarctions; only 1 patient required urgent bypass surgery. Other complications included non-Q-wave myocardial infarction (9%), arterial dissection (9%), abrupt closure (4%), and distal coronary embolization (4%). Angiographic follow-up was available for 65% of the 138 eligible patients. The overall 6-month angiographic restenosis rate, defined as >50% diameter stenosis at the site of DCA, was 48% (de nova lesions 40% and restenotic lesions 61%). Restenosis rates for de novo and restenotic lesions were: aortocoronary (33%/50%), native coronary (38%/35%), and vein graft (47%/93%), respectively. We conclude that DCA of ostial stenoses is an effective revascularization strategy associated with a high procedural success rate and a low incidence of major complications. Restenosis, especially in restenotic saphenous vein graft lesions, continues to limit the long-term efficacy of the procedure.