Aims Lumen enlargement during repeat percutaneous coronary intervention for in-stent restenosis has been shown to be the result of both stent over-expansion and decrease in neointimal tissue. How these two different mechanisms of action may influence outcome and target lesion revascularization after repeat intervention for in-stent restenosis is unclear. Methods Intravascular ultrasound guided repeat intervention for in-stent restenosis was carried out either with balloon angioplasty, or with a combination of rotational atherectomy plus balloon angioplasty. Clinical follow-up at I year, including death, myocardial infarction, or need for revascularization, was obtained. Results Seventy patients were included in this study; 40 were treated by balloon alone, and 30 by combination of rotational atherectomy plus balloon. Event-free survival probability tvas 76 +/- 5%. The mechanism of lumen enlargement, be it stent over-expansion or tissue removal, had no influence on long-term clinical evolution. The only independent predictor was the minimal lumen cross-sectional area at the end of the procedure, the larger the lumen cross-sectional area? the higher the event-free probability. The cut-off point of the lumen cross-sectional area was set at 4.7 mm(2) by discriminant analysis. Event-free survival was 69 +/- 15% in patients with <4.7 mm(2) lumen cross-sectional area and 91 +/- 8% in patients with >4.7 mm(2) lumen cross-sectional area (P=0.008). Conclusions This study showed that the only independent predictor of late clinical outcome after percutaneous re-intervention for in-stent restenosis was final lumen size, no matter which means were used to achieve it. (C) 2000 The European Society of Cardiology.
