‘Optimal’ Directional Coronary Atherectomy

Abstract

Background —Previous clinical trials of directional coronary atherectomy (DCA) have failed to show significant improvement in early or late outcomes compared with balloon angioplasty (PTCA). The present study tested the hypothesis that more aggressive “optimal” atherectomy could be performed safely to produce larger initial lumen diameters and a lower late restenosis rate. Methods and Results —The present study was a prospective multicenter registry of consecutive patients undergoing optimal DCA of de novo or restenotic lesions in 3.0- to 4.5-mm native coronary arteries. Optimal DCA was defined as using a 7F atherectomy device and adjunctive PTCA if necessary to achieve a 3 times normal) occurred in 14% of patients. Mean reference vessel diameter was 3.28 mm. Mean diameter stenosis was reduced from 63.5% to a final stenosis of 7%. Late 1-year clinical follow-up revealed one cardiac death and a target lesion revascularization rate of 17.8%. The angiographic restenosis rate at 6 months was 28.9%, with the major predictor of restenosis being a smaller postprocedure lumen diameter. Conclusions —Optimal DCA produced a low residual percent diameter stenosis and a lower restenosis rate than seen in previous trials without an increase in early or late major adverse events.