Implantation of sirolimus-eluting stents in saphenous vein grafts is associated with high clinical follow-up event rates compared with treatment of native vessels

AIMS: The clinical effectiveness of sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) for treatment of patients with saphenous vein graft disease is not well defined. This analysis sought to evaluate the clinical follow-up after treatment of stenotic saphenous vein grafts using SES in a large patient registry. Patients treated with SES for saphenous vein graft disease were compared with patients receiving SES in native vessel disease. METHOD: This is a subanalysis from the prospective multicenter German Cypher Stent Registry. Only patients with completed 6 months clinical follow-up were included. The analysis comprises 344 patients with 353 lesions in saphenous vein grafts treated with 400 SES (Cypher, Cordis Inc., Cordis Corp., Warren, New Jersey, USA) and 6411 patients with 7607 native coronary artery lesions treated with 8725 SES. RESULTS: Mean SES length per lesion was 22.6+/-11.7 mm and mean stent diameter 3.0+/-0.3 mm in saphenous vein graft lesions. Target vessel revascularization rate was 18.1% and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) rate was 23.8% at 6-month follow-up after SES implantation for saphenous vein graft lesions. Even after adjustment for different baseline characteristics, target vessel failure and MACE rate were significantly higher after SES implantation for saphenous vein graft lesions than for native coronary vessel stenosis [odds ratio: 2.10 (95% confidence interval: 1.40-3.13), P<0.001] and [odds ratio: 2.15 (95% confidence interval: 1.49-3.09), P<0.001], respectively. CONCLUSION: Treatment of saphenous vein graft disease is associated with high target vessel revascularization and MACE rates also with the use of SES if applied to unselected patients. Target vessel revascularization and MACE rates remain significantly higher after SES for saphenous vein graft lesions than after SES in native vessel disease.     

Peptide-treated stent graft for the treatment of saphenous vein graft lesions: first clinical results

Percutaneous interventions of degenerated saphenous vein grafts (SVG) are associated with high rates of distal embolic events and in-stent restenosis. A novel ePTFE-covered stent graft has been developed to improve outcomes for these difficult lesions. The stent graft has been treated with a 15-amino acid, cell adhesion peptide (P-15) to promote endothelialization on the inner surface post-implantation. Patients with de novo lesions in SVGs were treated with a peptide-coated ePTFE stent graft. Follow-up data was collected at 30 days, 3 and 6 months. An angiographic core lab analyzed an angiographic follow-up at 6 months. RESULTS: Procedural success was achieved in all cases. No device-related major adverse cardiac events occurred in-hospital, at 30 days, or at 3 months, despite the lack of distal protection. Six-month restenosis rates were 21%, and were comparable to similar devices. CONCLUSIONS: The peptide-treated stent graft appears to be a safe and effective treatment for SVG lesions, and has the potential to reduce complications without the use of adjunct distal protection in this patient population.