Unprotected left main coronary artery stenting: immediate and medium-term outcomes of 24 procedures

OBJECTIVES: We have examined the immediate and long-term patient outcomes following angioplasty of unprotected left main coronary artery stenoses. BACKGROUND: Coronary disease of the unprotected left main artery is considered as an absolute contraindication for percutaneous intervention. Recently, several studies have reported good results with unprotected left main coronary artery stenting when surgical revascularization was contraindicated. METHODS: From October 2004 to June 2006, 24 patients with a contraindication to surgery and with unprotected left main coronary artery stenoses received stents. Patients were surveyed at one, six and 12 months with telephone interviews. RESULTS: The procedure's success rate was 100%. The percentage of stenosis and minimum lumen diameter (MLD) were respectively 63.4% (+/-15.4) and 1.1mm (+/-0.5) before procedure; 13.8% (+/-10.2) and 3.2mm (+/-0.5) after angioplasty. The size of stents averaged 3.79mm (+/-0.46) with an average 1.04 stents per patient. During follow up, two deaths occurred (8.3%). No intrastent restenosis was found. CONCLUSIONS: Stenting of unprotected left main coronary artery stenoses may be a safe and effective alternative to coronary artery bypass especially when surgical revascularization is contraindicated. However, further studies with larger patient populations are needed to assess the late outcome and to clarify the relevance of percutaneous intervention compared to surgery.     

Unprotected left main coronary artery disease

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has been established as a safe concept in the treatment of unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA) disease and is considered the first-line treatment in current interdisciplinary guidelines. Regardless of the complexity of the lesion and the concomitant diseases, CABG is associated with excellent long-term results. Randomized controlled trials investigating the role of percutaneous coronary intervention in the setting of ULMCA lesions are frequently underpowered and suggest that, when restricted to less complex lesions, percutaneous coronary intervention is associated with results comparable to surgery. Thus, there is an urgent need for further randomized controlled trials RCTs with all-comers design to supply precise data under real-life conditions representative of the left main stem anatomy. Until then, an interdisciplinary approach to patients with ULMCA lesions is mandatory in view of the existing guidelines.     

Unprotected left main stenting,short- and long-term outcomes

Abstract

Background: Coronary bypass surgery is recommended for the treatment of left main coronary stenosis. Recently a percutaneous approach has been described as a feasible option. Objectives: To present the in-hospital and long-term clinical and angiographic outcome of a consecutive group of patients undergoing stenting for unprotected left main coronary artery (LMCA) disease, and to compare the clinical and angiographic outcomes of drug-eluting stent (DES) versus metal stent (BMS). Methods: 238 consecutive patients underwent unprotected LMCA stenting. 165 received BMS and 73 received DES. Most patients (88.7%) presented with acute coronary syndrome. Clinical (100%) and angiographic (84%) follow-up was obtained. Results: Patients’ presentation: STEMI (7.2%), non-STEMI (13.5%), unstable angina (67.6%), stable angina (11.7%). Procedural success rate was 100%. In-hospital mortality was 2.1%, all in patients presented with unstable hemodynamic conditions. None of the patients needed emergent CABG. In the long-term follow-up (average three years) there were 12 deaths (5%), 3 patients required CABG and 25 patients required TVR. The overall angiographic LM restenosis rate show a trend toward lower rate in the DES group than the BMS group (9.6% versus 13.8%, P = 0.08). There was no difference in one year mortality (4.1% versus 4.2%) and AMI (2.7% versus 2.8%) between DES and BMS. Conclusions: Stenting for LM stenosis can be performed safely with acceptable in hospital and long-term outcome. Reconsideration of current guidelines should be considered. Drug-eluting stent implantation for unprotected LMCA stenosis appears safe with regard to acute and long-term complications and is more effective in preventing restenosis compared to BMS implantation.     

Unprotected left main coronary artery stenting: correlates of midterm survival and impact of patient selection.

BACKGROUND: The study served to present the in-hospital and six-month clinical outcome and also the long-term survival data of a consecutive series of patients undergoing stenting for unprotected left main coronary artery (LMCA) disease. METHODS: Revascularization with coronary bypass surgery has been generally recommended for treatment of left main coronary stenosis. Improvements in angioplasty and coronary stent techniques and equipment may result in the wider applicability of a percutaneous approach. A total of 92 consecutive patients underwent unprotected LMCA stenting between March 1994 and December 1998. For the initial 39 patients (group I) angioplasty was performed only when surgical revascularization was contraindicated. The remaining 53 patients (group II) also included patients in whom surgery was feasible. Patients were followed for 7.3 +/- 5.8 months (median 239 days; range 49 to 1,477 days). RESULTS: Compared to group I, group II patients had higher left ventricular ejection fraction (60 +/- 12% vs. 51 +/- 16%, p < 0.01), less severe LMCA stenosis (68 +/- 12% vs. 80 +/- 10%, p < 0.001), lower surgical risk score (13 +/- 7 vs. 20 +/- 7, p < 0.001), and had angioplasty more often performed via the radial approach (88% vs. 23%, p < 0.001) with smaller guiding catheters (6F: 49% vs. 15%; 8F: 2% vs. 77%, p < 0.001). The procedural success rate was 100%. In-hospital mortality was 4% (4 deaths, 3 cardiac). During follow-up there were six deaths, 13 patients required repeat percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (4 LMCA), and two required coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Estimated survival (+/- SEE) was 89 +/- 6.3% at 500 days and 85 +/- 12% at 1,000 days post-stenting. Overall mortality was 3.8% in group II and 20.5% in group I (p < 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Coronary stenting can be performed safely in high-risk individuals with acceptable intermediate-term outcome. It may be feasible to broaden the application of this technique in selected patients needing revascularization for left main coronary disease.     

One-year clinical outcomes of protected and unprotected left main coronary artery stenting.

AIMS: To evaluate outcomes for left main coronary artery (LMCA) stenting and compare results between protected (left coronary grafted) and unprotected LMCA stenting in the current bare-metal stent era. METHODS: We reviewed outcomes among 142 consecutive patients who underwent protected or unprotected LMCA stenting since 1997. All-cause mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), target-lesion revascularization (TLR), and the combined major adverse clinical event (MACE) rates at one year were computed. RESULTS: Ninety-nine patients (70%) underwent protected and 43 patients (30%) underwent unprotected LMCA stenting. In the unprotected group, 86% were considered poor surgical candidates. Survival at one year was 88% for all patients, TLR 20%, and MACE 32%. At one year, survival was reduced in the unprotected group (72% vs. 95%, P<0.001) and MACE was increased in the unprotected patients (49% vs. 25%, P=0.005). CONCLUSIONS: In the current era, stenting for both protected and unprotected LMCA disease is still associated with high long-term mortality and MACE rates. Stenting for unprotected LMCA disease in a high-risk population should only be considered in the absence of other revascularization options. Further studies are needed to evaluate the role of stenting for unprotected LMCA disease.     

Unprotected left main coronary artery stenting with zotarolimus (Endeavor) drug‐eluting stents

Objectives: To report the safety and efficacy of zotarolimus eluting stents for treatment of unprotected left main coronary artery disease. Background: Percutaneous stent insertion is an increasingly popular alternative to bypass surgery for the management of left main (LM) coronary artery disease. While data support the use of sirolimus‐ and paclitaxel‐coated stents in the LM coronary artery, there are no published series reporting results with Endeavor (zotarolimus) stents, particularly in the context of unprotected left main (ULM) lesions. Methods: We retrospectively identified 40 consecutive patients who had ULM disease treated with Endeavor stents (ZES) and who had follow‐up angiography. The primary endpoint was the prevalence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), including cardiac/unexplained death, nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI), and in‐stent restenosis (ISR)/target lesion revascularization (TLR). Results: Angiographic and procedural success was achieved in all cases. Follow‐up angiography occurred on average 5.6 ± 0.9 months after the index procedure. There were three incidences of ISR requiring TLR and another patient who had a NSTEMI in the follow‐up period. At late follow‐up (12.4 ± 1.8 months) three patients underwent CABG (one for RCA stenosis) and four patients died without knowledge of the status of the ULM stent (two cardiovascular and two deaths related to cancer progression). Conclusions: In conclusion, our experience with Endeavor stents for the treatment of ULM disease demonstrates excellent angiographic and clinical outcomes, with a 7.5% ISR/TLR rate and a 15% MACE rate, respectively, at an average clinical follow‐up of 12.4 months. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Catastrophic left main coronary artery occlusion following diagnostic coronary angiography: Salvage by emergency left main coronary artery stenting

Acute occlusion of left main coronary artery after diagnostic angiography can be rapidly fatal. We describe two patients with left main disease that developed cardiac arrest shortly after diagnostic coronary angiography. They were both successfully treated with emergency left main stenting while cardiopulmonary resuscitation was being performed. Patients with left main disease should be carefully monitored after diagnostic angiography to allow prompt recognition of acute occlusion. Emergency stenting may be required for salvaging the patients.     

Catastrophic left main coronary artery occlusion following diagnostic coronary angiography: salvage by emergency left main coronary artery stenting

Acute occlusion of left main coronary artery after diagnostic angiography can be rapidly fatal. We describe two patients with left main disease that developed cardiac arrest shortly after diagnostic coronary angiography. They were both successfully treated with emergency left main stenting while cardiopulmonary resuscitation was being performed. Patients with left main disease should be carefully monitored after diagnostic angiography to allow prompt recognition of acute occlusion. Emergency stenting may be required for salvaging the patients.     

Unprotected left main stenting in acute myocardial infarction

Left main stenosis is a rare cause of acute myocardial infarction. Emergent percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) of the left main coronary artery has been shown to have greatly increased procedural and short-term mortality. Stenting decreases the incidence of abrupt closure and has a lower restenosis rate after PTCA. We present a case of a patient presenting in cardiogenic shock due to an acute anterior myocardial infarction who underwent emergent left main coronary artery stenting.     

选择性左冠状动脉主干病变的介入治疗

目的冠状动脉旁路移植术(CABG)是多支血管病变血运重建的最佳方法,是无保护性左冠状动脉主干(LMCA)病变的标准治疗.本研究探讨无保护性LMCA病变介入治疗的疗效和可行性.方法总结分析1996年10月～2000年8月间20例住院的冠心病左主干病变患者接受直接支架术治疗.入选患者例行左室造影(LVEF>45%),冠状动脉血管成形术及其疗效评判采用常规标准,合并右冠脉严重弥漫狭窄病变或前降支(LAD)与回旋支(LCX)同时严重狭窄者不行该术.结果 20例中男17例、女3例,年龄42～71(平均64±12)岁,临床呈心绞痛Ⅱ-Ⅲ级,其中合并高血压9例、糖尿病(2型)1例.冠脉造影显示,左冠脉主干病变呈单纯狭窄者8例,其中近中段狭窄(50%～80%)者6例、开口狭窄(50%～60%)者2例,左主干夹层分离者2例,动脉瘤者1例,合并LAD或LCX病变(狭均>70%)者9例(狭窄50%～70%).全部患者左主干病变均进行直接支架术,其中6例伴LAD或LCX病变者先行PTCA或支架术后再进行左主干病变的支架置入术.置入左主干内的支架均为管状宽径短支架,16例为4.0 mm×9 mm(直径×长度)支架,3例为3.5 mm×9 mm支架,1例冠状动脉瘤者应用4.5 mm×9mm支架.左主干支架术成功率为100%,无残余狭窄或残余狭窄<10%,无任何并发症如支架血栓形成、急性心肌梗死、紧急CABG及死亡等.9例合并LAD(6例)或LCX(3例)狭窄者,先行LAD或LCX的PTCA术,其中3例PTCA术后残余狭窄<20%,5例残余狭窄30%～40%者中2例置入3.0×16mm支架、1例3.5×20mm支架、1例3.0×14 mm支架,1例LCX开口后狭窄(75%)者因PTCA后发生夹层放置3.5×12 mm支架,造影示夹层消失,无残余狭窄.冠状动脉瘤行带膜支架术者造影示瘤体消失,左主干管壁平整.随访1～4年,14例心绞痛发作消失、6例心绞痛复发但显著减轻(心绞痛Ⅰ级),后者有4例于术后半年～1年内复查冠脉造影提示早期再狭窄,其中2例单纯LMCA再狭窄者再次行冠脉血管成形术、2例LMCA合并LAD再狭窄者行CABG手术,无急性心肌梗塞或死亡等严重心脏事件发生,患者均能维持正常生活.结论本研究结果表明,选择性无保护性左冠状动脉主干病变支架术在临床上切实可行、疗效显著,可以是继CABG的另一治疗选择.     

无保护左主干病变支架置入术预后及影响因素的分析--中国无保护左主干病变支架置入术注册(CHANCE)研究

目的评价无保护左主干(LMCA)病变支架置入术后的即刻及长期预后,并探讨影响预后的因素.方法本研究为多中心注册研究,对国内23家医院在1997年5月至2003年3月间完成的连续择期无保护LMCA病变裸金属支架置入术的患者进行注册登记,全部患者均填写固定表格.结果共224例患者进行了注册,年龄22～88岁,平均(60.1±12.0)岁.有既往心肌梗死史患者53例(23.7%),合并糖尿病45例(20.1%).孤立性无保护LMCA126例(56.2%),LMCA合并其他血管病变98例(43.8%).平均左室射血分数(63.9±12.3)%. 223例(99.6%)LMCA病变支架置入术成功,91例(92.9%)非LMCA病变支架置入术成功.住院期间死亡1例(0.45%),非Q波心肌梗死(MI)1例(0.4%).平均随访(15.6±12.3)个月,死亡12例(5.4%),其中心原性死亡10例(4.5%),非心原性死亡2例(0.9%),急性MI 4例(1.8%), LMCA 靶病变血管重建术26例(11.7%),累积主要心脏不良事件(MACE)36例(16.1%).左室射血分数<40%、女性和LMCA合并多支血管病变增加死亡危险,多支病变非完全血管重建增加MACE发生率;多因素回归分析显示左室射血分数<40%和女性为预测死亡和MACE的独立危险因素.102例(45.7%)患者进行了造影复查,LMCA 再狭窄32例(31.4%).术中有回旋支开口部受累者再狭窄率增加.结论经过选择的无保护LMCA病变支架置入术是可行和安全的,并可取得较好近、远期疗效.目前,无保护LMCA支架置入术应选择孤立性LMCA病变或合并多支病变但能达到完全性血管重建、左室射血分数≥40%的患者或不能行冠状动脉旁路移植术的患者.     

冠状动脉造影后即刻支架术与择期支架术的临床研究

目的比较冠状动脉造影后即刻支架术与择期支架术的成功率和并发症发生率，从而探讨即刻支架术的临床应用价值。方法对2005年1—12月在我科行冠状动脉造影后即刻支架术（即刻组，n=115例）和择期支架术（择期组，n=172例）患者的资料进行分析。结果A型和B型病变的成功率和并发症率两组间差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05），而C型病变的成功率即刻组低于择期组（P〈0．01），而并发症率高于择期组（P=0．05）。结论A型和B型病变冠状动脉造影后即刻支架术是临床可行的，而C型病变不宜冠状动脉造影后即刻支架术。因此，冠状动脉造影后即刻支架术有一定的临床应用价值。     

A prospective study of elective stenting in unprotected left main coronary disease

The standard treatment of left main coronary artery (LMCA) disease has been bypass surgery (CABG). Recent reports suggested that stenting of LMCA disease might be feasible. From January 1995 to April 1998, we carried out a prospective study of elective stenting of unprotected LMCA disease to evaluate its immediate and long-term results. Of 61 consecutive patients with unprotected LMCA disease, 6 were excluded. Acute procedural success was 100% for the remaining 55 patients, without any complications such as stent thrombosis, myocardial infarction, CABG, or death. During a mean follow-up of 16.1 ± 9.6 months, 11 patients (20%) had symptomatic recurrence, between 2 to 6 months after their procedure. Seven patients underwent CABG, two had repeat intervention, one continued with medical therapy, and one died before planned angiography. There was no late sudden death. Forty-four patients (80%) remained asymptomatic. We conclude that elective stenting may be a safe alternative to CABG in unprotected LMCA disease. Cathet. Cardiovasc. Intervent. 46:153–159, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Successful stenting of catheter-induced unprotected left main coronary artery dissection

Catheter-induced left main coronary artery (LMCA) dissection is a dramatic, although uncommon complication of diagnostic coronary angiography and requires prompt treatment. We describe a case of iatrogenic occlusive dissection of the LMCA during coronary angiography, treated by subsequent percutaneous recanalisation.     

Unprotected left main coronary artery intervention for acute myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock

Medical therapy alone often insufficiently alters the clinical course of patients who have experienced acute myocardial infarction and concomitant cardiogenic shock, and in whom the left main coronary artery is the culprit vessel. Emergency coronary artery bypass grafting is an effective yet time-consuming approach that entails the risk of extensive, irreversible myocardial damage. Percutaneous coronary intervention in the unprotected left main coronary artery can enable initial revascularization and rapid stabilization even in high-risk patients, but outcomes from the procedure since the recent advent of drug-eluting stents are still being determined. Herein, we report the successful deployment of a sirolimus-eluting stent in a 65-year-old man who had experienced acute myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock consequent to an occluded left main coronary artery. The patient recovered rapidly and completely. We review the medical literature and compare percutaneous coronary intervention with other methods of treatment.