Recent perspective on coronary artery bifurcation interventions

Coronary bifurcation lesions are frequent in routine practice, accounting for 15-20% of all lesions undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). PCI of this subset of lesions is technically challenging and historically has been associated with lower procedural success rates and worse clinical outcomes compared with non-bifurcation lesions. The introduction of drug-eluting stents has dramatically improved the outcomes. The provisional technique of implanting one stent in the main branch remains the default approach in most bifurcation lesions. Selection of the most effective technique for an individual bifurcation is important. The use of two-stent techniques as an intention to treat is an acceptable approach in some bifurcation lesions. However, a large amount of metal is generally left unapposed in the lumen with complex two-stent techniques, which is particularly concerning for the risk of stent thrombosis. New technology and dedicated bifurcation stents may overcome some of the limitations of two-stent techniques and revolutionise the management of bifurcation PCI in the future.