Treatment of In-Stent Restenosis — Back to the Future?

Abstract

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty has become the most frequently used method for myocardial revascularization.¹ The use of uncoated coronary-artery stents during percutaneous intervention has decreased the incidence of acute complications and improved the outcome of patients,² but restenosis within the stent compromises the long-term results. As a consequence, the prevention and treatment of in-stent restenosis have become priorities in interventional cardiology.Drug-eluting stents, which markedly reduce in-stent restenosis,³ have relegated all other therapeutic approaches to the background. However, it is gradually emerging that rates of late restenosis after the use of drug-eluting stents are higher than initial experience suggested, particularly . . .