Intravascular ultrasound assessment of the novel AngioSculpt scoring balloon catheter for the treatment of complex coronary lesions.

BACKGROUND: Despite the advances in interventional cardiology, stent expansion remains an important predictor of success, impacting restenosis and thrombosis rates after either bare-metal (BMS) or drug-eluting stent implantation. Especially for the treatment of complex lesions (e.g., calcified lesions, in-stent restenosis, etc.), adequate lesion preparation might help improve procedural results as well as clinical outcomes. We sought to investigate the safety, feasibility and mechanism of action of a new scoring-balloon catheter, the AngioSculpt, comprised of a semicompliant balloon and a nitinol spiral cage designed to address complex lesions. METHODS: A total of 60 consecutive patients at two centers were prospectively enrolled in this first-in-man coronary study and divided into two groups according to the type of lesion treated: Group I: patients with de novo coronary lesions (n = 47) as a pretreatment strategy before BMS implantation, and Group II: patients with BMS restenosis (n = 17) as a standalone therapy. A subgroup of patients in each cohort was assigned to intravascular (IVUS) analysis. Patients in Group II were submitted to routine 6-month follow-up angiography. In Group I, angiographic restudy was contingent upon the presence of ischemia. Lesions longer than 20 mm in very tortuous vessels, in arterial or vein grafts, in the setting of acute myocardial infarction or with visible thrombus were excluded from this study. RESULTS: Success was achieved in all cases. The mean age of the study populations was 62 +/- 11.6 years (Group I) and 53 +/- 9.4 years (Group II), with 26% and 18% diabetics, respectively. In Group I, 73% of lesions were diffuse and fibrocalcified, while in Group II, 72% were classified as diffuse. No serious complications were observed in either group. Balloon slippage (or the "watermelon seed" phenomenon) was not observed. Significant acute gain was achieved in both groups (0.7 mm in Group I and 1.64 mm in Group II). A minimum final area (in-stent) 6.5 mm2 was achieved in 85% of the cases in Group I and in 82% of the cases in Group II. CONCLUSIONS: In this preliminary in vivo study, the use AngioSculpt(R) proved to be feasible and safe for the treatment of complex coronary lesions. Six-month results suggest the use of this novel device as an attractive option for the percutaneous approach of restenotic coronary lesions and should be assessed in a larger, more complex cohort of patients.

Late vascular response at the edges of sirolimus analogous-eluting stents in diabetic patients: An intravascular ultrasound study.

INTRODUCTION: Vascular response at edges of drug-eluting stents is still not well established, particularly in diabetic patients who are prone to aggressive atherosclerosis progression. Recently, Biolimus and Zotarolimus have demonstrated potent antiproliferative effects. OBJECTIVE: To compare the vascular responses at edges of sirolimus analogous-eluting stents in patients with and without diabetes, using intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). METHODS: 306 edges were analyzed in 153 patients treated with drug-eluting stents and divided in: diabetics (122 edges) and nondiabetics (166 edges). IVUS was performed postintervention and at 6-month follow-up and included 5 mm distal and proximal to the stented segment. Vessel, lumen, and plaque volumes were calculated. Volume variation (follow-up minus basal) was also calculated. Edge restenosis was defined as obstruction >50%. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. In both groups the entire lesion length was covered (stent length/lesion length ratio was 1.5 for both groups). There were no differences in edge volumes and restenosis rate between the groups. Among diabetics, there was no significant volume variation. However, in nondiabetic patients there was significant increase in vessel volume in proximal (from 67.1 +/- 22 mm(3) to 72.2 +/- 25 mm(3): P = 0.02) and distal (from 54.4 +/- 22 mm(3) to 59.8 +/- 22 mm(3): P = 0.001) edges. CONCLUSION: Nondiabetic patients showed a significant positive vascular remodeling in proximal and distal edges of sirolimus analogous-eluting stent. This vascular mechanism was not observed in diabetic patients. Although different vascular responses were observed, restenosis rates were equivalent between the 2 groups at 6-month follow-up.

Análise ultra-sonográfica da resposta vascular tardia das bordas de stents liberadores de drogas análogas ao sirolimus: comparação entre diabéticos e não-diabéticos / IVUS analysis of the late vascular response at the edges of sirolimus analogue-eluting stents: comparison among diabetic and non-diabetic patients

Introdução: A resposta vascular dos segmentos adjacentes aos stents liberadores de medicamentos continua sendo objeto de estudo, principalmente nos pacientes diabéticos (DM), nos quais a progressão da aterosclerose é mais freqüentemente observada. Recentemente, os fármacos Biolimus e Zotarolimus demonstraram eficácia semelhante ao Sirolimus na redução da hiperplasia intimal intra-stent. Objetivo: Comparar a resposta vascular tardia nas bordas proximais (BP) e distais (BD), entre DM e não-diabéticos (NDM) tratados com stents liberadores de sirolimus ou fármacos análogos (Biolimus e Zotarolimus), avaliada pelo ultra-som intracoronário (USIC). Método: Foram incluídos 153 pacientes (306 bordas) tratados com stents (53% Sirolimus, 26% Zotarolimus e 21% Biolimus) e divididos em dois grupos em relação à presença de diabetes: DM, 122 bordas e NDM, 166 bordas; 18 bordas foram excluídas. As análises pelo USIC foram realizadas nos 5 mm proximal e distal aos stents após o implante (basal) e no seguimento tardio (± 6 meses). Os volumes do vaso (VV), do lúmen (VL) e da placa (VP) foram calculados pela regra de Simpson. A porcentagem de obstrução (% Obs) e a variação dos volumes (Delta - Δ) entre seguimento e basal foram também calculados. Reestenose das bordas foi definida como uma obstrução >50% no seguimento. Resultados: A media para idade foi 58±9 anos, sendo 59% do sexo masculino. Não houve diferença nas características basais dos grupos...

Introduction: Late vascular response of the segments adjacent to proximal and distal edges of the drug-eluting stents is still not well established, particularly in diabetic patients who are prone to atherosclerosis plaque progression. Recently, new sirolimus-analogue eluting stents (Biolimus and Zotarolimus) have demonstrated potent antiproliferative effects. Objective: To compare the late vascular responses at proximal (PE) and distal (DE) edges of sirolimus analogue-eluting stents in patients with and without diabetes (DM or NDM) using intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). Method: 306 IVUS edge analyses were performed in 153 patients treated with drug-eluting stents(53% Sirolimus, 26% Zotarolimus, 21% Biolimus). Patients were divided in two groups: DM, 122 edges and NDM, 166 edges; 18 edges were excluded. IVUS analyses were performed post-intervention (PI) and after 6-month follow-up (FU) and included 5 mm distal and proximal to the stented segment. Vessel, lumen and plaque volumes were calculated by Simpon’s rule. Percentage of obstruction and volumes changes (FUminus PI values) were also calculated. Edge restenosis was defined as obstruction >50% at FU. Results: The mean age was 58±9 y, and 59% were male. The baseline characteristics were similar between groups. In both groups, the entire lesion length was totally covered (stent length / lesion length was 1.51 and 1.52). There were no significant differences in edge volumes between the two groups...