Stenting of unprotected distal left main coronary artery bifurcation stenoses using modified crush technique with double kissing balloon inflation (sleeve technique): immediate procedure result and early clinical outcome

BACKGROUND: Sleeve technique is a modified version of the crush technique. It is specifically designed to increase the success rate of final kissing balloon inflation, which used to be a major limitation of the latter. OBJECTIVE: This study sought to look at the feasibility, safety, and early clinical outcome of sleeve technique in stenting of unprotected distal left main coronary artery (LMCA) bifurcation stenoses. METHODS: From August 2005 to April 2006, 12 consecutive patients with symptomatic distal LMCA bifurcation stenoses of diameter narrowing > or =50%, who refused coronary artery bypass graft surgery, were treated with two-stent strategy using the sleeve technique. RESULTS: Eleven patients (91.7%) were male, with a mean age of 64.4 +/- 9.3 years. Intravenous abciximab was given to 10 patients (83.3%). The baseline reference vessel diameters of the main vessel and side branch were 3.32 +/- 0.44 and 3.00 +/- 0.58 mm, respectively. After intervention, the minimal luminal diameter was increased from 0.99 +/- 0.46 to 3.26 +/- 0.28 mm and 1.43 +/- 0.71 to 2.93 +/- 0.45 mm in the main vessel and side branch, respectively. The intervention procedure was successful in all patients with 100% final kissing balloon inflation rate. The average procedure time was 58.6 +/- 20.5 minutes. Two patients had a small non-Q myocardial infarction postprocedure. The resultant major adverse cardiac event rate was 16.7% at 30 days after the procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Sleeve technique is a safe and feasible approach in the stenting of distal LMCA bifurcation stenoses.     

Modified crush technique with double kissing balloon inflation (sleeve technique): a novel technique for coronary bifurcation lesions.

We report a modified crush technique with double kissing balloon inflation (the sleeve technique) in an attempt to increase the success rate of final kissing balloon inflation, which has been shown to improve the angiographic outcomes of side branch in bifurcation lesions. A stent was advanced across the side branch with protrusion of 3-5 mm of proximal stent segment into the main vessel. At the same time, a size-matched balloon with length long enough to cover the bifurcation as well as the protruding stent segment was placed in the main vessel. The side-branch stent is deployed first, the wire and stent balloon are removed. This is followed by balloon inflation in main vessel at high pressure to crush the protruding stent segment against vessel wall. The side branch is then rewired, two balloons are advanced to the main vessel and side branch, and the bifurcation is kissed with balloons the first time. The side branch is now like a new sleeve. The balloon and wire of the side branch are removed. Another stent was positioned and then deployed in the main vessel. The side branch is rewired the second time, two balloons are advanced to the main vessel and side branch again, followed by final (second) kissing balloon inflation of the bifurcation. The sleeve technique has been employed in six consecutive patients with 100% success rate of final kissing balloon inflation. There was no major adverse cardiac events or stent thrombosis encountered within 30 days of percutaneous coronary intervention.     

A prospective registry to evaluate sirolimus-eluting stents implanted at coronary bifurcation lesions using the "crush technique"

The "crush technique" has been proposed as an alternative approach to treat bifurcation lesions because of its predictability and high procedural success rate. However, few data are available regarding its safety and long-term efficacy. We report the long-term clinical outcomes of patients with coronary bifurcation lesions treated with sirolimus-eluting stents using the crush technique. From April 2003 to May 2004, 120 patients with coronary bifurcation lesions were treated with sirolimus-eluting stents using the crush technique. Six months of clinical follow-up was completed in 95.8% of patients. Mean patient age was 64 years; 36% had diabetes mellitus, and the left anterior descending artery/diagonal was the most frequent bifurcation location (69%). Final kissing balloon inflation was performed in 87.5% of patients. Compared with the main vessel, side branch lesions were shorter, with a smaller reference diameter and final in-stent minimum lumen diameter. Procedural success was achieved in 97.5%. At 30 days of follow-up, 1 patient had died of noncardiac causes and 2 patients (1.7%) had subacute stent thrombosis. At 6 months of follow-up, target lesion revascularization was required in 13 patients (11.3%), all of whom had focal restenosis predominantly at the side branch ostium. In conclusion, the crush technique with final kissing balloon inflation can be safely used by experienced operators to treat highly complex bifurcation lesions with sirolimus-eluting stents. The safety profile of this technique is similar to that of other bifurcation stenting techniques reported thus far. Nonetheless, despite the excellent patency rates of the main vessel, the need for revascularization at the ostium of the side branch was not fully eliminated.     

Long-term outcome of simultaneous kissing stenting technique with sirolimus-eluting stent for large bifurcation coronary lesions.

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to evaluate the outcomes of simultaneous kissing stenting with sirolimus-eluting stent (SES). BACKGROUND: Percutaneous intervention for bifurcation coronary lesions is still challenging. METHODS: This study was designed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of 36 consecutive patients with large bifurcation coronary lesions who underwent simultaneous kissing stenting with SES. RESULTS: Lesion location was unprotected left main in 29 patients (81%) and anterior descending artery in 7 (19%). The patients received a combination of aspirin and clopidogrel for 6 months and cilostazol for 1 month. Mean proximal reference diameter was 4.05 +/- 0.68 mm. Compared with the side branch (SB), the main vessel (MV) involved longer lesions (25.8 +/- 17.0 mm vs. 10.2 +/- 10.8 mm, P < 0.001) and smaller preprocedural minimal lumen diameters (1.02 +/- 0.53 mm vs. 1.46 +/- 0.78 mm, P = 0.006) and was treated with larger stents (3.1 +/- 0.3 mm vs. 3.0 +/- 0.3 mm, P = 0.006). Angiographic success rate was 100%. Over the follow-up of 26.7 +/- 8.6 months, no deaths, myocardial infarctions or stent thromboses occurred. Target lesion revascularization was performed in five patients (14%). Overall angiographic restenosis occurred in 5/30 patients (17%), consisting of 4 (13%) at MV and 3 (10%) at SB. At follow-up angiography, a membranous diaphragm at the carina was identified in 14 patients (47%), but only one of whom was associated with angiographic restenosis. CONCLUSION: Simultaneous kissing stenting with SES appears a feasible stenting technique in large bifurcation coronary lesions. However, a new angiographic structure of carinal membrane developed in a half of patients at follow-up and its influence needs to be further investigated.     

Treatment of a double-bifurcation lesion with sirolimus-eluting stents using the "sleeve technique"

We describe a diabetic patient with a very long lesion in a small and diffusely diseased left anterior descending artery that had 2 sizable and diseased diagonal branches (double-bifurcation lesion). The authors successfully used sirolimus-eluting stents and the sleeve technique to reconstruct the vessel and its 2 bifurcations. The sleeve technique is a modified version of the crush technique. It involves stent placement in the side branch ostium, balloon-crush of the proximal protruding stent segment against the main vessel wall, and reconstruction of the side branch ostium by kissing balloon inflation, followed by stenting of the main vessel and reconstruction of the bifurcation again by a second kissing balloon inflation.     

Provisional T-stenting and kissing balloon in the treatment of coronary bifurcation lesions: results of the French multicenter "TULIPE" study.

BACKGROUND: In previous prospective studies, a strategy of (a) stenting of the main branch, (b) provisional T-stenting of the side branch, and (c) final kissing balloon inflation, was associated with high success and low target lesion revascularization (TLR) rates on the long-term. OBJECTIVES: To examine the performance of this strategy in a multicenter study. METHODS: Consecutive patients were treated at 14 French medical centers for de novo coronary bifurcation lesions with the same technique used. Immediate results and clinically-driven TLR at 7 months were examined. RESULTS: The mean reference diameters of the main and side branches were 3.2 +/- 0.6 mm and 2.4 +/- 0.5 mm, respectively. The side branch was stented in 34% of patients. A <30% residual stenosis in the main branch was achieved in 99%, <50% in the side branch in 90%, and both in 89% of procedures. The in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular event were a Q-wave and 5 non-Qwaves MI (0.54% and 2.7%). At 7 months of follow-up, 3 patients (1.76%) had died, 1 suffered a non-Q-wave MI (0.59%), and 28 (15.88%) underwent TLR. By multivariate analysis, a lower left ventricular ejection fraction (OR: 0.934), moderate calcifications (OR: 7.86), and non-use of the "jailed" wire technique (OR: 4.26) were associated with reinterventions during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: A strategy of provisional T-stenting with a tubular stent and final kissing balloon angioplasty for the treatment of coronary bifurcation lesions was safe and associated with a low TLR rate at 7 months. This strategy should be applicable to the new era of drug eluting stents.     

Complex coronary angioplasty: a technique for dilatation of bifurcation stenoses

Bifurcation stenoses have been recognized to be at "high risk" for acute closure during percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. Use of the traditional single balloon technique in such situations often results in acute closure or worsening of the stenosis in the other branch. A technique utilizing simultaneous inflation of two balloons, ("kissing balloon" technique) has been utilized to avoid this complication. A double balloon technique has been developed using sequential inflations rather than simultaneous inflations to preserve the integrity of both branches while avoiding the arterial trauma produced by inflating two balloons in a small artery simultaneously. Twelve of 13 bifurcation stenoses were successfully treated with this sequential inflation double balloon technique. (Primary success rate = 92%).     

应用双药物洗脱支架治疗分叉病变的近远期临床疗效

目的探讨应用双药物洗脱支架（DES）治疗分叉病变的临床疗效。方法选择分支开口有严重狭窄且分支口径≥2．50mm的分叉病变患者为本研究的入选对象。2003年10月至2005年6月共入选应用双DES治疗分叉病变的患者112例,113处病变。分叉病变的类型为前降支／对角支62例（54．9％）,左冠状动脉主干分叉病变32例（28．3％）,回旋支／钝缘支18例（15．9％）,右冠状动脉远端分叉病变1例。113处分叉病变中采用Crush技术64处,“T”型支架置入27处;改良“Y”型支架置入11处;对吻支架置入5处;“V”型支架置入和Culotte技术置入各3处。结果入选112例患者113处分叉病变中（226处病变）使用Cypher或Cypher select DES 91个,TAXUS DES 74个,Firebird DES 67个。64处分叉病变采用Crush技术置入双支架后60处（93．7％）完成了最后的对吻球囊扩张技术。手术成功率为100％。住院期间1例发生亚急性血栓致急性心肌梗死（AMI）,再次介入治疗成功。住院期间心脏事件发生率（MACE,包括死亡、AMI、再次血管重建）为0．89％（1／112）。112例均完成了9个月的临床随访,无死亡发生,1例发生AMI由晚期血栓形成所致。48例完成了9个月的冠状动脉造影随访（42．9％）,8例发生了支架内再狭窄,其中1例进行了冠状动脉旁路移植术,5例再次行介入治疗,总再狭窄发生率为16．7％（8／48）。随访期间MACE发生率为8．04％（9／112）。结论本研究结果显示对于分支口径≥2．5mm且口部有严重狭窄性病变的分叉病变,采用双DES治疗是安全的,近、远期临床疗效是满意的。与Cypher DES相比较,TAXUS DES的再狭窄发生率有增加的趋势。     

Stenting of bifurcation lesions: classification, treatments, and results.

Percutaneous transluminal balloon coronary angioplasty (PTCA) of coronary bifurcations is associated with a low success rate, high rate of complications, and high incidence of target vessel revascularization (TVR). The strategy of systematic coronary stenting in bifurcation lesions involving a side branch >/= 2.2 mm in diameter was prospectively evaluated in a single-center observational study during a 35-month inclusion period. All patients meeting these criteria were consecutively included. Bifurcation lesions and treatment were predefined in the study. The study included 366 patients (12.1% of PTCA) with 373 bifurcation lesions, mean age 63.7 +/- 11.6 years, 79.2% male, 46.7% with unstable angina, and 8.3% acute MI. The left anterior descending/diagonal bifurcation was involved in 55.2% of cases, circumflex/marginal 22. 2%, PDA/PLA 10.4%, left main bifurcation in 6.8%, and others 5.4%. The main branch (2.78 +/- 0.42 mm reference diameter) was stented in 96.3% of cases and the side branch (2.44 +/- 0.43 mm) in 63.2% (the two branches were stented in 59.5% of cases). Procedural success was obtained in 96.3% in both branches and 99.4% in the main branch. At1-month follow-up, The major cardiac event rate (MACE) was 4.8% (death 1.1%, emergency CABG 0.6%, Q-wave MI 0.9%, acute or subacute closure 1.4%, repeat PTCA 1.1%, and non-Q-wave MI 2.3%). At 7-month follow-up, the total MACCE rate was 21.6%, including a TVR rate of 17.2%. Analysis of the 7-month outcome according to two study periods (period I, 1 January 1996 to 31 August 1997, 182 patients; period II, 1 September 1997 to 30 June 1998, 127 patients) showed that the TVR rate decreased from 20.6% to 13.8% (P = 0.04) and the MACE rate from 29.2% to 17.1% (P < 0.01) in period I and II, respectively. This was associated by univariate analysis with an increasing use of tubular stents deployed in the main branch (94.2% vs. 59.1%, P < 0.001) and kissing balloon inflation after coronary stenting (75.4% vs. 18.1%, P < 0.001). Bifurcation lesions are frequent. Procedural success of coronary stenting is high with a low rate of in-hospital MACE. TVR rate at follow-up is relatively low. In-hospital and follow-up results are influenced not only by the learning curve but also by the use of tubular stents in the main branch and final kissing balloon inflation.     

经桡动脉途径行改良球囊挤压支架术治疗冠状动脉分叉病变

目的 分析经桡动脉途径应用改良球囊挤压支架术治疗冠状动脉分叉病变的可行性及成功率。方法 经桡动脉途径造影证实血管病变处有直径>2.5 mm分支,分支起始部有>70%狭窄的患者17例,应用改良球囊挤压支架术治疗分叉病变,观察病变血管狭窄程度、斑块移位及球囊对吻扩张成功率和随访效果。结果 分叉病变中均成功植入雷帕霉素药物洗脱支架,15例患者行同步对吻球囊技术进行后扩张, 术后前向血流均为TIMI Ⅲ级,所有患者未发生边支急性闭塞、支架内血栓、心源性休克、死亡等并发症。结论 冠心病分叉病变介入治疗中,经桡动脉途径通过6F或7F指引管完成改良球囊挤压支架术可获得满意结果,支架间隙小或无,再狭窄率低。     

"Side balloon stenting": a novel technique for bifurcation lesions

We describe a new technique to treat stenoses of coronary bifurcations. The aim of this technique, called "side balloon stenting," is to treat the bifurcation lesions with the kissing balloon technique, implanting one or more stents without removing the guidewires which remain in place during the whole procedure, avoiding potential problems of access to the vessels jailed by stent struts. In addition, implanting the stent using the kissing balloon technique would prevent the "snow-plow" phenomenon (plaque shifting) in the side branch. The "side balloon stenting" technique was applied in 29 cases at various levels of coronary artery segments involving bifurcations (Table 1). The technical success rate of the side balloon stenting was 90% (25 procedures). The elective placement of one stent in the main vessel was done in 20/25 procedures (80%), and in only 5/25 (20%), it was also necessary to insert a second one in the side branch (due to suboptimal results), using the "culotte" technique in two and the T-technique in the other three. We were unable to advance the system to the right position in 4 patients (13%): in 2 due to twisting of the guidewires and in the other due to vessel tortuosity and insufficient backup of the system (guiding catheter and guidewires). In these four last cases, the delivery system was retrieved and a stent was successfully implanted in the right position in the main branch. Angiographic success (residual stenoses < 30% and TIMI 3 flow in both branches) was obtained in 100% of the cases. The post-intervention period was uneventful. These preliminary results show that the side balloon stenting technique is both feasible and safe in th treatment of coronary bifurcations with a satisfactory rate of procedural success and often (82%) positioning only one stent in the parent vessel, thus avoiding stenting the side branch. It will be necessary, however, to assess, based mainly on restenosis rate, whether these promising immediate results will persist in the long run.     

Proximal Optimization Technique and Kissing Balloon Inflations With the Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold for Coronary Bifurcation Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Proximal optimization technique and final kissing balloon inflations with noncompliant balloons facilitate success with coronary bifurcation intervention. The use of bioresorbable vascular scaffolds has been postulated to reduce the risk of in-stent restenosis, a particular problem with bifurcation intervention. We present a case of bifurcation intervention in a 49-year-old woman, using for the first time, proximal optimization and kissing balloon inflation within bioresorbable vascular scaffolds, using optical coherence tomography guidance.     

The skirt technique: A stenting technique to treat a lesion immediately proximal to the bifurcation (pseudobifurcation).

We report a new stenting technique employed in 10 patients to treat lesions immediately proximal to a bifurcation (pseudobifurcation). A stent is mounted on two balloon catheters and advanced into the lesion immediately proximal to the bifurcation until the distal portion of the balloon catheters enters each branch at the bifurcation. This is followed by kissing balloon inflation for stent deployment. In all 10 cases, the final angiogram showed a good result at the lesion site and no ostial compromise of any of the branches. Cathet. Cardiovasc. Intervent. 51:347-351, 2000.     

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty for restenosis following Palmaz-Schatz stenting: larger size balloons are more effective?]

Intracoronary stenting reduces the restenosis rate after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). However, restenosis still occurs in 20% to 30% of patients after stenting. Management of in-stent restenosis has become a significant challenge in interventional cardiology. The efficacy of re-PTCA with a larger balloon was investigated for restenosis following Palmaz-Schatz stenting. Clinical and angiographic results were compared in 46 consecutive patients with in-stent restenosis after one Palmaz-Schatz stenting. Twenty patients underwent redilation with a slightly larger balloon than used at the stenting (Large group) and 26 underwent redilation with the same size balloon as at the stenting (Control group). The clinical factors, lesion characteristics, lesion length, reference diameter and minimal luminal diameter at re-PTCA for the in-stent restenosis did not differ significantly between the 2 groups. Minimal luminal diameter of the Large group after re-PTCA was significantly larger than that of the Control group (3.1 +/- 0.2 vs 2.9 +/- 1.2 mm, p < 0.05). Follow-up angiography showed that the minimal luminal diameter of the Large group was significantly larger (2.1 +/- 0.6 vs 1.7 +/- 0.6 mm, p < 0.05) and the re-restenosis rate of Large group tended to be lower than that of the Control group (15% vs 38%, p = 0.07). Re-PTCA for in-stent restenosis with a slightly larger balloon than used at the stenting reduces the re-restenosis rate.     

Catheter-based local antiproliferative therapy in kissing balloon technique for in-stent stenosis of coronary artery bifurcation lesions

There is currently no promising interventional solution for in-stent stenosis in previously stented bifurcation lesions, even with drug-eluting stents. Rather than being restricted to stent struts, catheter-based local antiproliferative therapy offers the advantage of homogenous drug transfer to the whole vessel wall, and thereby allows for intracoronary pharmacotherapy without adding additional layers of metal into an already stented lesion. The newly developed GENIE catheter (Acrostak Corp, Switzerland), applied in the kissing balloon technique, allows for delivery of liquid paclitaxel into whole bifurcation lesions without repeat stent implantation. After conventional percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, local delivery of paclitaxel using two GENIE catheters in the kissing balloon technique was performed in three patients (left anterior descending, left circumflex and right coronary arteries) with highly symptomatic in-stent bifurcation stenoses. The intervention was feasible and safe in all coronary arteries. Final angiography and control angiography after six months showed good results. No major adverse cardiac events occurred 30 days and six months after intervention. The patients, who represent a group at high risk of recurrent instent restenosis, remained asymptomatic since the local drug delivery. They did not require insertion of a drug-eluting stent or crossover to coronary artery bypass surgery. In conclusion, this new treatment strategy proved to be safe and effective in this first human experience and offers a promising alternative to surgery or implantation of additional stents in these patients.     

Comparison of simple and complex stenting techniques in the treatment of unprotected left main coronary artery bifurcation stenosis

We assessed the safety and feasibility of various stenting techniques using the sirolimus-eluting stent (SES) in the treatment of unprotected left main coronary artery (LMCA) bifurcation stenoses. One hundred sixteen patients with unprotected LMCA bifurcation stenoses underwent SES implantation. A simple stenting technique (simple group, n = 67) across the left circumflex artery (LCx) and a complex technique (complex group) comprising "kissing" stenting (n = 24) or a "crush" (n = 25) technique were used. Baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics were similar for the 2 groups, except for more multivessel involvement and narrower LCxs in the complex group. The procedural success rate was 100%. Angiographic restenosis rate at 6 months was lower in the simple group (5.3%) than in the complex group (24.4%, p = 0.024). In the complex group, restenosis rates were similar for the kissing (25.0%) and crush (23.8%) techniques (p = 1.0). There were no incidents of death or myocardial infarction during follow-up (median 18.6 months). Target lesion revascularization was performed in 6 patients only in the complex group (0% vs 12.2%, p = 0.005). At 18 months, survival rates without target lesion revascularization were 100 +/- 0% in the simple group and 85.7 +/- 5.6% in the complex group (p = 0.004). In conclusion, SES implantation for unprotected LMCA bifurcation stenoses appears to be safe and effective. Compared with the complex stenting technique, the simple technique was technically easier and appeared to be more effective in improving long-term outcomes in patients with normal LCxs.     

Predictors of recurrent restenosis after coronary stenting: an analysis of 197 patients

One of the major limitations in coronary stenting is in-stent restenosis. This study was aimed to identify clinical, angiographic, and procedural factors that may be related to recurrent in-stent restenosis. We analyzed consecutive 197 patients who underwent coronary stenting. Follow-up angiography was available in 170 patients and repeat balloon angioplasty was performed for in-stent restenosis. These patients were subdivided into 3 groups: group A consisted of 100 patients that were never restenosed, group B had 49 patients restenosed once, and in group C were 21 patients restenosed more than twice. Group C was more often female (48%) and included diabetes mellitus patients (52%). Lesion location, reference vessel size and diameter stenosis were similar for all groups. However, the incidence of calcified lesions tended to be higher (50% vs. 29%; p = 0.07), and lesion length was longer in group C than in group A (11.9+/- 5.4 mm vs. 9.0+/- 3.9 mm; p < 0.01). Diameter stenosis after predilation as well as after stenting was significantly higher in group C than in group A (50+/- 10% vs 39+/- 10%; p < 0.01, 32+/- 8% vs. 19+/- 10%; p < 0.01). The incidence of diffuse type of in-stent restenosis was significantly higher in group C than in group B (62% vs. 14%; p < 0.01). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified diameter stenosis after stenting (p = 0.0022), female (p = 0.0135), and diameter stenosis after predilatation (p = 0.0233) as the significant correlate of recurrent in-stent restenosis. In conclusion, the major recurrent in-stent restenosis predictors identified included female gender, final diameter stenosis, and diameter stenosis after predilatation.     

Stenting of bifurcation lesions: a rational approach

The occurrence of stenosis in or next to coronary bifurcations is relatively frequent and generally underestimated. In our experience, such lesions account for 15%-18% of all percutaneous coronary intervention > (PCI). The main reasons for this are (1) the coronary arteries are like the branches of a tree with many ramifications and (2) because of axial plaque redistribution, especially after stent implantation, PCI of lesions located next to a coronary bifurcation almost inevitably cause plaque shifting in the side branches. PCI treatment of coronary bifurcation lesions remains challenging. Balloon dilatation treatment used to be associated with less than satisfactory immediate results, a high complication rate, and an unacceptable restenosis rate. The kissing balloon technique resulted in improved, though suboptimal, outcomes. Several approaches were then suggested, like rotative or directional atherectomy, but these techniques did not translate into significantly enhanced results. With the advent of second generation stents, in 1996, the authors decided to set up an observational study on coronary bifurcation stenting combined with a bench test of the various stents available. Over the last 5 years, techniques, strategies, and stent design have improved. As a result, the authors have been able to define a rational approach to coronary bifurcation stenting. This bench study analyzed the behavior of stents and allowed stents to be discarded that are not compatible with the treatment of coronary bifurcations. Most importantly, this study revealed that stent deformation due to the opening of a strut is a constant phenomenon that must be corrected by kissing balloon inflation. Moreover, it was observed that the opening of a stent strut into a side branch could permit the stenting, at least partly, of the side branch ostium. This resulted in the provocative concept of "stenting both branches with a single stent." Therefore, a simple approach is currently implemented in the majority of cases: stenting of the main branch with provisional stenting of the side branch. The technique consists of inserting a guidewire in each coronary branch. A stent is then positioned in the main branch with a wire being "jailed" in the side branch. The wires are then exchanged, starting with the main branch wire that is passed through the stent struts into the side branch. After opening the stent struts in the side branch, kissing balloon inflation is performed. A second stent is deployed in the side branch in the presence of suboptimal results only. Over the last 2 years, this technique has been associated with a 98% angiographic success rate in both branches. Two stents are used in 30%-35% of cases and final kissing balloon inflation is performed in > 95% of cases. The in-hospital major adverse cardiac events (MACE) rate is around 5% and 7-month target vessel revascularization (TVR) is 13%. Several stents specifically designed for coronary bifurcation lesions are currently being investigated. The objective is to simplify the approach for all users. In the near future, the use of drug-eluting stents should reduce the risk of restenosis.     

Balloon crush: treatment of bifurcation lesions using the crush stenting technique as adapted for transradial approach of percutaneous coronary intervention.

The recent advent of drug-eluting stents has allowed the crush stenting technique to be adopted, thus simplifying the treatment of bifurcation coronary artery lesions. However, this can only be achieved in 7 Fr or greater guiding catheters, hence precluding most transradial percutaneous coronary interventions that are usually undertaken using 6 Fr or less guiding catheters. We assessed the feasibility of balloon stent crush as a stepwise procedure in achieving bifurcation crush stenting in 6 Fr transradial percutaneous coronary interventions. Since it is not possible to place two stents through a 6 Fr guiding catheter, we have adapted the crush stenting technique by initially placing a stent in the side branch and a balloon in the main vessel. The side branch stent is then deployed against the main vessel balloon that is later inflated, crushing the side branch stent within the main vessel. The main vessel is then stented and the side branch recrossed for kissing inflations. Seven patients (five males; age range, 47-78 years) with bifurcation lesions were treated using the above-described technique without major complications. Balloon crush of the side branch stent were successfully achieved in all cases without balloon trapping. In six cases where side branch recrossing was attempted, all were successful and kissing balloon inflations were undertaken in five cases. We have demonstrated that the modified crush stenting technique is feasible and can be safely adapted for use in a 6 Fr transradial percutaneous coronary intervention approach.     

Bifurcation lesions.

The introduction of drug-eluting stents has significantly improved the immediate and long-term results following treatment of bifurcation coronary lesions. Despite these improvements, few questions are still without a clear answer. Among them the most important one is the need to use two stents vs provisional side branch stenting in true bifurcations. At present time the approach most frequently applied is to stent the main branch stenting to the side branch only for suboptimal results. In situations when the operator needs two stents as intention to treat we suggest the usage of the "Crush" or "V" technique. These two approaches have been utilized with good immediate and long-term results with sirolimus-eluting stents and with polymer-based paclitaxel-eluting stents. The usage of the "Crush" technique followed by final dilation of the side branch and with kissing balloon inflation has decreased. We recently evaluated results with this technique in 70 patients treated with sirolimus-eluting stents. The 6-month angiographic follow-up was available in 83% of the lesions and restenosis rate was 33% (7% main and side branches and 26% only side branch). No difference was observed in the restenosis rate on the main branch between lesions treated with final kissing balloon inflation and lesions without final kissing inflation (4% in the final kissing group vs 8% in the no final kissing group, p = 1.00). The restenosis rate on the side branch was lower in the final kissing group (17%) in comparison to the no final kissing group (42%) (p = 0.046). Similar results are achieved with polymer-based paclitaxel-eluting stents. The introduction of drug-eluting stents with selective usage of stenting the main and side branches applying the "Crush" or "V" techniques has significantly improved the results compared to bare metal stents in bifurcation lesions.