Evaluation of lesions suitable for percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty after thrombolytic therapy of acute myocardial infarction

Forty-two patients of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and clinically successful thrombolysis underwent coronary angiography 7.6 +/- 3.6 days after the AMI. The infarct related artery was patent in 33 of 42 (78.5%) patients, and 27 of these 33 (82%) had residual diameter stenosis of 70 per cent or more. Arteries showing more than 70 per cent luminal diameter narrowing were considered suitable for percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) if the lesion was less than 1 cm in length and there was no significant left main or distal lesion. Based on the above criteria, 22 of the 33 patients (66%) with recanalised infarct-related artery were found to have lesions suitable for PTCA. Thus, after successful thrombolysis, significant proportion of patients of acute myocardial infarction have residual lesions that are suitable for PTCA.